"Wah! So this is where the contest is taking place!" Gon shouted in glee.
The four hunters stared at the huge open arena in front of them. A stage was set in the middle where, Kurapica decided, the cornbread was going to be shown. Crowds of people pushed each other to get a better look at the contestants this year.
"Hey. Kurapica," Leorio nudged him, "You should go sign up. I think the contest is starting soon." Kurapica nodded at him.
"You got all your stuff?" Killua asked. Kurapica nodded again.
"Good luck, Kurapica! We'll cheer you on in the sidelines!" Gon smiled at him.
"Thank you Gon."
"Well, what are you waiting for?" Leorio punched him in the shoulder, "Give 'em what you got." And Kurapica left to sign up.
"So..." Gon started.
"So...?" Killua blinked at his best friend.
"So now what?"
"You idiot! We're gonna go find seats!"
"Oh right huh?" Gon said, scratching the side of his cheek. Leorio stared blankly at his two friends' stupidity.
Kurapica glanced at the list of people signing up for the contest. "Hmmm...looks like a fair amount of people are participating...EH?!" He blinked at the name he found on the list: Hisoka. "Since when did Hisoka bake cornbread?!" Kurapica said to himself, imagining a Hisoka smiling widely while wearing an apron. He sweat dropped at the thought.
"Ladies and gents! Welcome to this years' Corn Bread Contest of the Year! Otherwise known as CBCY. And so...! Let us begin! First up is the..." Gon, Killua, and Leorio sat near the front of the arena. Their ears perked up as they heard the stadium go quiet with anticipation.
AHEM! Half an hour later…
Killua stifled a yawn. Why'd I come here again? Oh yeah...the cornbread... Gon blinked at Killua.
"Ne Killua. You tired?" He asked concerned.
"Nah...just kinda bore—"A large applause sounded from the stands as the next contestant stepped up.
It was Hisoka!
"Hmm? Leorio! Killua! What's Hisoka doing here?" Gon blinked at his friends.
"Wha? Hisoka isn't here!" Leorio said.
"What are you? Blind!?" Killua said while pointing at the red-haired man, "He's right over there. But...why's he in the corn bread contest?"
"Maybe he likes baking corn bread." Gon suggested. The three of them shrugged.
Kurapica watched Hisoka bring out his cornbread.
"Hohohoho!" Hisoka laughed, "This is my special corn bread. Enjoy it! heart" He pulled a huge platter, almost the size of the stage from out of nowhere and placed it on the ground in front of him. Kurapica watched in amazement as Hisoka pulled out a huge slab of corn bread from out of nowhere again.
Gon, Killua, and Leorio sat at the edge of their seats as they watched Hisoka cut the cornbread with his cards, wondering why Hisoka (of all people) would join a corn bread contest. Hisoka threw the pieces of corn bread into the audience and gave some to the judges. Gon caught a piece of corn bread thrown by Hisoka. Hisoka grinned and winked at him and walked away from the arena (Me: Why'd he come then? You: How should I know?!). Gon shuddered. Killua turned to his friend.
"Hey! You got a piece of Hisoka's corn bread. Can I have it?"
"Sure...shudder"
"Hey, Leorio! You want some?" Killua held up the piece of cornbread.
"I guess trying a little won't hurt." Leorio swallowed some and...
...fell asleep.
Killua stared at Leorio and shrugged, finishing the rest of the corn bread.
"Wah!! Killua! You ate all the corn bread and didn't leave any to me!"
"Heehee," Killua grinned toothily, "Well, you shouldn't have given it to me then."
"What happened to Leorio?" Gon stared at his friend.
"Ah, he fell asleep right after taking a bite from the corn bread." Killua said, licking his fingers, "Hisoka must've put some sleep potion in your corn bread."
"Oh. I see. Well, I hope Leorio wakes up soon..." Gon said. Leorio got up and rubbed his eyes.
"Wha? Wha? What happened?" He asked.
"You fell asleep after you ate a bit of corn bread. Hisoka probably put some sleep potion in it." Killua repeated himself.
"Then why did you give it to me?!" Leorio shook his fist at Killua.
"Just decided to test it first before I ate it."
"Why you...you haven't changed a bit Killua." Killua grinned at his friend.
Gon turned to look at the arena. "Hey! Hey! It's Kurapica! Look!" Gon, Killua, and Leorio watched their friend bring a silver platter to the stage, knowing exactly what would happen next.
"Ah! That guy is so handsome!" A girl screamed at her friend.
"OMG! He is! He looks so kawaii!" The girl's friend exclaimed.
The three hunters sweat dropped.
Kurapica walked up to the judges and stared at the crowd in front of him, all eager to see what was under the gleaming cover of his platter.
"This is a famous Kuruta recipe. Please take your time to enjoy it." The blond boy said politely. He placed his platter on a table in front of the judges. "Get ready!" And he pulled off the cover of the platter.
A bright light emitted from the dish, blinding the judges and the audience.
"Wha—!"
"What's going on?!"
"I can't see!!"
And as fast as the light had come, it disappeared. The platter now held…
...a pile of ash. Yet again.
"Is this a joke?" One of the judges cried out. The judges looked at Kurapica disapprovingly. The audience blinked at the TV screen showing a close-up of the pile of ash on the platter.
Kurapica turned to his friends for help.
Leorio stood up and shouted, "Just TRY IT!!"
Killua and Gon jumped up and the three of them shouted in unison, "JUST TRY IT!"
Kurapica smiled at his friends and turned back to the judges. "Please just try some of it." The judges blinked at the pile of flaky ash sitting in front of them.
They gulped and stared at each other.
Finally, picking up their spoons, they scooped some of the 'corn bread' up and swallowed it.
And they were in heaven.
Soon the platter was finished and Kurapica was immediately announced the winner of CBCY. The audience blinked in confusion at the ending result.
Kurapicagavethe award he had won to his friends who had met up with him after the contest.
"See Kurapica? It wasn't that bad." Gon smiled at his old friend. Kurapica stared blankly at his naive friend.
"Just don't make me go to anymore CBCY's. I'd rather just cook for you guys."
"Yeah! Kurapica's Kuruta corn bread all to ourselves!" Leorio cheered. The other hunters sweat dropped at his friend and they all headed home.
Sorry for not updating in a long time...I just didn't have the motivation before. But since Hunter X Hunter came back on TV (in Taiwan) and I want to get started on this other fanfic I thought about for a long while already. So that's the end of Kurapica's Cookbook. On to my new idea! Bwuahahahaha!! shakes fist in determination