"So, this is the 300th floor, huh?" Killua breathed.

"Uh huh," Gon choked out.

It had been three more weeks and five more battles. Gon and Killua had advanced to the 300th floor. Kurapika suspected that they had been advanced to the 300th floor specifically for a reason, and the two were ready to test that theory. They had just stepped off the elevator, because the rules about scheduling battles changed once one reached the 300th floor. Killua had been hearing all this random shit about the 300th floor for weeks on end, and now he finally understood.

The 300th floor really was a big deal, he could sense it in the air.

You couldn't tell if you were in the residential section of the higher levels, but if you were in the main section? With the cash out desks, stadium, common space, and training rooms? This place was the shit.

Everything was suddenly more… intense, in a way.

Killua could feel it prickling at the back of his neck, and he didn't like it. Everyone they passed had this strange glint in their eye, as if they knew something that Gon and Killua did not. It was uncomfortable, and the Valkyrie kept hearing talk about the Spiders. Apparently a Troupe member had shown up at someone's 300th floor fight.

If the Phantom Troupe started hanging around from here on out… then that was indication enough that Gon and Killua had arrived at the final stretch.

The 300s floor levels were supposed to be the hardest to pass, and even though Gon was excited for the challenge (as he had been chattering about all the way up here) now that the two of them had actually arrived he had gotten quiet and withdrawn. He had that look in his eyes… but it seemed to hold more fear than excitement this time.

"I feel like we don't belong here," Gon muttered under his breath to Killua as a Gargoyle female covered in scars gave them the side-eye.

"Well, they can shove it up their asses," the Valkyrie grumbled. "We're supposed to be up here to schedule our next fights."

Which was true. If they hadn't been required to be walking around on the 300th floor, then Killua would have left of his own accord. But nope, no more remote scheduling for them. From the 300th floor and up, fights had to be scheduled in person, at a scheduling desk on the floor of your next battle.

Killua didn't understand why, but that's just the way it was done.

Maybe it was to make everything seem more legit?

It seemed like an intimidation tactic if anything…

Gon looked around, meeting everyone's gazes he laid his eyes on. He was really ballsy, considering how threatening everyone around here looked. Normally Killua wouldn't be bothered by something like that… he was a Dragonite Valkyrie and above all of them in the blood hierarchy! But… there was that odd sensation.

It was an odd sensation that made Killua's instincts tell him that these people were stronger than him… that they knew something he did not, and he had no place challenging them.

"Hey, Gon," Killua mumbled, bumping their shoulders together.

"Yeah?"

"What do you think is up with these guys?"

"I dunno… but whatever it is is giving me a really bad feeling. Why's this floor so different from the others all of a sudden?"

"I know. It feels like we're walking into some sort of trap."

The two boys turned a corner, approaching the short hallway that would lead them to the scheduling desk. Killua froze however, and held his arm out to stop Gon as well. The lights were off in the hallway, and it was pitch black save for the dull lights shining at the other side. Killua's assassin instincts were telling him that something was up.

Gon prickled a moment later, a growl low in his throat. His sixth sense was going off.

Killua sensed it a split second after he did, and he was hating this more and more by the second.

From around the corner at the end of the hallway, stepped none other than Hisoka.

"Hisoka!" Gon and Killua cried out. They had been expecting some super dangerous foe… but it was just the clown man. What was up with that? It hadn't felt like it had been Hisoka… what was going on here?

"Hello there!" the stilettoed man chirped with a wagle of his fingers.

"What are you doing here?" Gon asked, head cocked to one side like a dog.

"Oh you know, casually enjoying my morning stroll~"

Killua snarled in warning. "Cut the crap. People don't just walk around on floors where they aren't fighting. Why are you here?"

Hisoka's friendly smile turned predatory, and suddenly Killua regretted his life decisions. "That's simple, really." The tall man sat himself down on the floor, with one leg folded up with his arm resting over it. "I'm here to prevent the two of you from signing up for your battle on this floor~"

"Huh?!" Gon and Killua exclaimed simultaneously.

"What the actual fuck?!" Killua demanded.

"We only have 24 hours to sign up or else we get evicted! You can't do that!" Gon yelled.

The red haired man only chuckled.

Killua scoffed, trailing off into a growl. "Come on, Gon. He's crazy if he thinks we're gonna let a perv like him push us around." The Valkyrie marched forward, and Gon followed after him. They approached Hisoka with determined expressions on their faces, not knowing what was going to happen, but also unwilling to relent.

"Suit yourselves~" Hisoka sighed, before his face got serious.

A shiver ran up Killua's spine. But not an emotional shiver… and real shiver. And it hurt. Killua gasped as he felt the sensation of a spider crawling up his spine impaling his skin with every spindly step. His stomach dropped, and he could feel his heart start to beat erratically.

What was he doing?! What was happening to him!?

Hisoka was still sitting there unmoving, like nothing was happening at all!

What the hell–

"Ugh–" Gon grunted, straining to try and walk forward.

"Gon?" Killua choked out, unable to move his feet. He felt a strange sensation holding him in place, and it felt like he was on fire every time he tried to send a signal to his body to move!

The hybrid growled and took a shuddering step forward. Killua watched in awe as he took two more, and then steeled himself. Determined to follow in his friend's footsteps.

Hisoka giggled that stupid sexual giggle, and suddenly whatever it was got worse.

"Ah!" Killua exclaimed as his heart lurched in his chest. He felt the blood pump through the muscle… but not in a good way. It felt like the muscle was about to burst! Meanwhile his ears were burning like his eardrums had been shattered, and if felt like his toes were freezing off in his shoes.

Gon winced, and Killua glanced over at him in horror. The hybrid was further ahead, and blood was streaming down and out of his nose and ears!

Gon!

Adrenaline spiked, Killua couldn't stand to see Gon get hurt–

He had to protect him! He had to get him out of there!

With a battle cry, Killua lurched forward, grabbed Gon, and flung the two of them out of the hallway. Once they exited, the feeling stopped. The two boys lay on the floor panting, Killua half laying on top of Gon from when he had grabbed him and slung them away.

The shorter boy sat up, and Killua rolled off. They turned back around to face Hisoka, who was still watching them from the other side of the hall. He had that stupid expresion of glee on his face, and that gleam in his eyes like everyone else. That he knew something they didn't.

Gon snarled in frustration, picking himself back up to his feet. Killua tentatively stood back up as well, knowing where this was going and not looking forward to it. The hybrid stubbornly pushed his hand against the hallway, he was straining as if he were pushing against a brick wall, even though there was nothing but empty air.

What the hell was this?!

With a rising yell, Gon shoved his hand through whatever barrier was there, and his hand shoved forward into the hallway. He immediately screamed in agony, and was slung backwards. Killua was behind him in a heartbeat, catching him to prevent him from crashing through the wall at their backs. His feet left rips in the vibrant red carpet as he strained to stop Gon's momentum.

They stood panting, Gon's back leaned against his chest with Killua's hands braced on his arms.

"You alright?" Killua breathed, too stressed about the state of Gon's hand to get a bubbly high off of being in such close contact.

"Yeah," the hybrid muttered darkly.

His hand, the one that he had stubbornly shoved back into the hallway, was a mess. The skin was all flayed off and hanging off his hand in thin ribbons. There was blood everywhere, and Killua could see exposed bone, muscle, and tendons. His nails had been ripped off, and were hanging off the tips of his fingers, still attached to the strips of finger skin that hung there like ribbons in a little girl's hair.

Killua's heart twinged as he watched Gon's blood drip onto the carpet. That must hurt so bad–

"Hisoka. What are you doing," the hybrid called gruffly to the other side of the hall.

The clown man hummed and smirked haughtily at them. "Can't you see for yourself?"

Gon's violent growl and wave of aura was answer enough on its own.

Hisoka chuckled. "Feisty, aren't we? Always so passionate about your interests~"

What the hell is that supposed to mean?

"Until you can see what I am doing for yourselves," Hisoka purred. "I will not allow you to pass."

"The hell?" Killua mumbled, still breathing heavily from that horrid pain. He thought he was immune to physical pain… he was immune to physical pain! So what the fuck had that been?!

Gon took a step forward, away from Killua's chest.

"Wait, Gon!" the Valkyrie protested, clinging to his arms to try and halt his advance.

He's trying to push through again! Did he not see what just happened to his hand?!

Hisoka giggled. "I'd listen to your friend if I were you~ If you push against my wall for too long you'll surely die. Don't want to expire before meeting Ging, now do we?"

Gon stopped, Killua still frantically holding onto his arms.

"Gon?" Killua said, voice higher than he would have liked.

The suddenly violent hybrid backed down, relaxing in Killua's grip. He didn't step all the way up to Killua's chest, but he did step in close again. The Valkyrie released his arms, and watched with concerned eyes as the hybrid stared down the magician at the end of the hall.

"We'll be back," Gon growled. "So don't get any weird ideas in your head."

"Wouldn't dream of it~" Hisoka cooed as Gon led Killua away and back towards the common space of the 300th floor. They still got looks… but oddly enough not strange and annoyed looks? The looks were pleased and haughty. As if they understood what had just happened better than Killua and Gon did.

The Valkyrie followed after his hot headed companion, still trying to catch his mind up with what had just transpired. His heart was still racing, and his mind was still going crazy with concern for Gon. The aggressive male dragged them through the common area, and back towards the elevators. Killua shook himself out of his stupor, and dug his heels into the carpet.

Gon kept walking, and then stumbled a bit when Killua stopped and he was unable to keep dragging him along by the wrist. Amber eyes looked backward, a strange glaze over them that sent chills down Killua's spine.

What's up with him right now?

The Valkyrie shook his head, it wasn't the time. "Gon! What the fuck? Come on, we're sitting down so I can wrap up your hand," he ordered.

The horned boy just looked at him, and then followed along as Killua dragged him over to one of the couches by the grip he still had on his wrist. The Valkyrie tugged his hand out of Gon's death grip, and shoved the shorter boy onto an empty couch, he then sat on the coffee table before him and dragged the decimated hand into his lap.

Killua ripped the hem off of his white overshirt, and the noise seemed to shake Gon out of his daze.

He awoke with a jump, and shook his head about.

"Gon?" the Valkyrie asked tentatively. The last time he'd gone unresponsive like that was when they had been arguing with Camilla about the Serpent King's egg, and Camilla had yelled at him about being a hybrid.

"Sorry about that, Killua!" he chirped in that usual innocent voice. "But you don't have to worry about my hand, I can heal it."

"Huh?" the silver haired boy asked, still shaken up from Gon's sudden glassy eyed state.

The hybrid lifted his hand out of Killua's lap, then held it up between them. He furrowed his brow, and Killua's eyebrows raised as the skin and muscle started to lace back together. Steam rose off of the hand as the strips of skin rose up to lay back down on Gon's skin, where they were reattached and the skin turned smooth and tan once more. His hand was still a little red, as if it had been burned, which was understandable. Stab wounds were one thing, but flayed and exploded flesh muscle was another.

Gon panted and laid back, sweat rolling down his face. "That took a lot more effort than it should have!" he choked out.

Killua furrowed his brow. "It must have something to do with whatever Hisoka was doing. It's super strong, so strong to give you physical pain when nothing is there. Hisoka said that it can kill you, and your biochemical has trouble wounds caused by it. What is this power?"

The hybrid sighed through his nose, and sat back up. "It's a real head scratcher…"

Should I ask him what that was back there?

When he got all angry and unresponsive?

No.

He seems fine now… and I don't want to pry. It's probably just me overreacting cause I like him and can't stand to see him hurt.

"I'm sorry you ruined your favorite shirt for nothing, Killua," Gon said guiltily, scratching the back of his head.

The silver haired boy shook himself out of yet another stupor.

What the heck is wrong with me?

I need to calm the fuck down!

This is just another hurdle we're going to have to cross. There's nothing to freak out over… I can't let these bothersome emotions get in the way of Gon and I's journey.

"Rip my shirt for no reason?" Killua asked while he held the strip of fabric up. "I think not!"

"Wait–" was the only word Gon got in before Killua was on him and revoking the custody of his hand. The Valkyrie snatched the hand away and drew it back into his lap, skillfully wrapping it up in the shirt to keep it still and pressured. Gon sweatdropped as he watched his friend work, and Killua really TRIED not to get flustered having Gon's hand held hostage in his but it was really hard–

"There," he muttered, tossing Gon's hand back to him. His cheeks were burning now, and he was hiding as much of the blush as he could beneath his bangs.

The hybrid looked at the expert wrapping, cheeks a little red. Or was that just Killua's imagination? No, he was probably just a little surprised that his hand had been ripped away. Yeah. Damn it, why had Killua been so forward with that?!

"Thanks, Killua," Gon said happily, grinning that stupid adorable grin.

"Yeah, whatever," the assassin mumbled. "Come, let's go back to the apartment I guess? We've only got 23 hours to figure this out or else we get evicted. I say our best bet is to ask Mamapika what he thinks… though I don't have very high hopes for him having any answers."

Gon got serious again, and nodded. He hummed in agreement, and stood up to follow Killua towards the elevators. "We've got quite the challenge… huh?"

"That's right," the Valkyrie murmured, mind churning over what had just transpired between them and Hisoka… but being completely unable to fathom what the fuck that had been. They stepped into the elevator, and pressed the button for the lobby.

"Wait! Hold on, I just, ah!" came a flustered string of jumbled words as a flash of white and brown dove headfirst into the elevator before the doors could close. Killua and Gon jumped into fighting stances, startled out of their minds. What the in the hell–

"Please don't hurt me!" squeaked a Canine-Cryptid as he stumbled to his feet.

Killua quirked his brow, retracting his claws. Gon loosened his stance, but only slightly.

The elevator started its leisurely journey downwards, and the two boys inspected this newcomer. Flashes of lazy light danced through the metal box as it sailed down floor after floor, taking its sweet time to offer up that glorious view of the surrounding city.

Standing in the sun against the door (and looking like he'd rather be literally anywhere else) was a male Canin-Cryptid. He had pointy brown ears - that were more floppy than pointy - sticking out from the top of his head and flicking about in his nervousness. His puffy dog tail squirmed anxiously in between his legs, and wide, chocolate brown eyes took in the two other males with a mixture of social anxiety and genuine fear. He was wearing some sort of loose white getup, and had a mop of messy brown hair. His skin was a lovely mocha, and he was several inches shorter than Gon and Killua.

The boy sighed, "I can't believe I'm doing this right now but-" he bowed his head (a Cryptid signal of respect in greeting) "-My name is Zushi, and I came to talk to the two of you about what you just saw in the hallway."

The Valkyrie frowned, immediately interested.

Killua looked at Gon and Gon looked at Killua.

They had barely started their search for answers, and a possible lead had fallen right into their laps! This was either wild luck or a dangerous trap. The two boys fixed their gazes on Zushi, ready to figure out which one it was.


AN: i headcannon socially awkward Zushi and no one can take that away from me :3