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ADVENTURES OF A NINE LEGGED SPIDER
by Onkiu!
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Author's Note: Did you like Chapter 2 (The ultra long one?)? I hope you did!
Please, if you want this fic for your site, do tell me, it's not like I don't want you to, (because I do, I love fame and glory LOL!), but I just like to know where it goes (and see how nicely it compliments your webpage) ). Lol okay, I just actually wanted to know how many people actually WOULD be bothered to put it on their page
Legal Stuff: I love HxH... but don't own it... boo hoo.
Onkiu presents:
ADVENTURES OF A NINE LEGGED SPIDER
Chapter Three: Machi x Visitor x Bakery
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Ever since the infiltration of the 'chain guy' or someone associated with the chain guy, the Genei Ryodan had been very agitated. There have been lots of arguments and debates between members about whether 'Mary-Sue' really was their chain guy, someone linked to the chain guy, or some random loony that was in love with Feitan and that Phinx was in love with and decided to follow them home.
Arguments became heated up, and once again, as it had happened during Kuroro's kidnapping, the Genei Ryodan was torn as to how to deal with this unidentifiable person - to kill him if he was the chain guy, to torture her for info she was associated with the chain guy, or just hope to never bump into her again if she was neither. But since they didn't know who she was, they surely did not know how to deal with her. But one thing was certain to everyone (except for Phinx) - Mary was definitely NOT some random loony. Despite Phinx's vehement protests, no one would side with him on his view regarding this matter. It was plainly obvious that she was not a random loony, since her actions - escaping through the toilet - was deemed by members as highly suspicious. One would not usually jump from the second story, now, would they?
"But I swear, Mary was in love with me! She SO is not the Chain Guy!" yelled Phinx, amidst one of those heated arguments. He flapped his arms in desperation, as though it would help people believe that Mary was a nice and lovely lady for a man of the Ryodan.
"Anyway, do you hear a bee buzzing?" said Machi sarcastically, ignoring Phinx. She was seated in an armchair, reading one of Sharlnack's subscription newspapers - the York Shin Herald, for this matter.
"Look," said Sharlnack logically, trying to calm the Ryodan down. He crossed his arms as he leant back against the wall in what was supposed to appear to be a cool and calm pose. "If Mary was the chain guy, where were the chains? Did we see any chains?"
"No." replied Bonoroleof.
"But this does not mean that he isn't the chain guy. Despite not wearing the chains, there still is the chance that she or he took it off before, or did not materialise them."
"What point are you trying to make?" said Franklin.
"My point is, if he is the chain guy, this whole situation still hasn't helped in shedding any light onto his Nen type. If he is reinforcement, he may have taken those physical chains off when visiting us. If he was materialisation, he may have just... dematerialised it."
"Oh." said Shizuku, snapping out of her train of thoughts. Whether her "Oh." was a result of her inner thoughts or as a reply to Sharlnack's logic was a mystery.
"If he was the chain guy, it means that we cannot do anything against him as of now. We can't hurt one silky strand of his hair. We're also sitting ducks, since he knows about us and our HQ. And, the other side of the argument. If she really was some ally of the chain guy," continued Sharlnack, screwing his face into one of a mastermind. "Then we're pretty much done for unless we kill her. She may have already informed the chain guy about us, our personalities, possibly our nen types, the route to headquarters, and the map inside the headquarters. This still makes us sitting ducks."
"And...?" said Kurotopi.
"I come to the conclusion that - A) If he is the chain guy, we live him alone and pray that he doesn't attack us. B) If she's the ally of the chain guy, we try to kill him and still pray that he doesn't attack us."
"AHEM!" said Phinx loudly.
"Yes, Phinx."
"You forgot the third side of the argument."
Some Ryodan members slapped their foreheads, while others rolled their eyes. There were mutterings of exasperation at Phinx's obvious ignorance of the true picture.
"And what is that?" said Sharlnack patiently, as if he didn't already know.
"What if she's just some sweet innocent lady who needs some lovin'?"
Machi rolled her eyes and returned to her newspaper as she heard the argument rise to a crescendo again. Trying to ignore Phinx's childish arguments and Sharlnack's very patient explanation of why his arguments were not logical, Machi scanned the headlines of today's edition.
Hmm... 'Judges for Miss Universe announced.' Boring, who cares about a bunch of pretty girls saying how much they want world peace and love children. 'Man who streaked naked during children's play claims to be part of Genei Ryodan.' This loser makes the Ryodan look like a bunch of grazing sheep. 'Bicarbonate Bakeries workers go on strike over salary cuts'... yum, cakes.
As the argument between Phinx and the rest of the Ryodan raged on like a brewing storm, Machi decided it was best to stay out. She didn't feel like adding any of her intuition-based input, nor did she feel like involving herself into trying to convince the ignorant Phinx of the truth. She was sure that Sharlnack would put the view that she also shared with him across eventually.
Bored with the main headlines, she found herself flipping to the classifieds. She didn't know why she was drawn to that. After all, there were more interesting liftouts such as Home and Drive. Maybe she was just a tad envious of Feitan having such an interesting job to go to to relieve himself of the boredom back at HQ in times of withdrawal.
Sure enough, as the headlines already predicted, there were many classifieds placed there by Bicarbonate Bakeries Ltd, amongst other advertisements. Particularly interested, she read:
Bicarbonate Bakeries NEED YOU!
Are you a motivated salesperson?
Do you care about the finer things in life?
Do you like working with people and working with cakes?
If so, a job at Bicarbonate Bakeries is for YOU!
We are looking for friendly, motivated staff to sell cakes at our many outlets.
No experience required, on the job training provided.
Contact Blueberry Muffin on 123 - BICARBONATE
She blinked. A job sounded quite refreshing at times like these when she was confined to Headquarters. If you can't kill, can't maim, can't torture, and can't steal, why not take a job? And so, that was what Machi decided to do. She whipped out her phone and dialled.
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Machi, dressed in her Sunday best (even though it certainly wasn't Sunday, and those clothes certainly wasn't hers, as they were from the late Pakunoda's oh-so trendy wardrobe), cautiously pushed open the door at Bicarbonate Bakeries in York Shin. A bell chimed inside, and as the door closed behind her, the loud, honking sounds of the busy York Shin traffic faded into a soundless void.
She scanned her settings, as her spidey-senses have taught her to do whenever she ventured into the unknown. Hard, ceramic, cream coloured tiles were laid out in a diagonal pattern on the floor under her feet. A glass cabinet stuffed full with absolutely delicious looking cakes and tarts was to her left, next to which was the cash register on the counter that no one was attending. Lined on the shelves against the walls were different varieties of bread, from loaves to long, French baguettes. The walls were painted a creamy, pastel yellow, which Machi found somehow soothing. Pot plants hung on the walls behind the counter, and some abstract paintings covered some empty wall spaces.
All in all, there was an arty, bohemian feel to this place which Machi couldn't help but be drawn to.
"Hello?" she called out cautiously. "Is anyone here? Ms Muffin?"
There was no answer. The shop seemed empty. There was no shop assistant, and no other customers.
Machi called out one more time into the cool, calm stillness of the shop. "Hello? Ms Muffin?"
Still, no answer. As she was about to up and leave, a tall, skinny woman bustled in, looking flustered.
"Oh yes, here, here!" she cried, as she dusted her hands on her apron. True to her name, she had blue hair. However, it was not like Machi's natural blue. Her blue, to be exact, was rather, well... fluorescent. Never had Machi seen such brightly coloured hair before. In fact, it was so bright that for a moment, Machi was momentarily blinded by its full glory.
She shielded her eyes from the bright hair, and had to blink a bit before her eyes adjusted to its full, sensational grandeur. Blueberry Muffin looked like a skinny grasshopper. She was tall and she was thin. Like her little shop, she looked rather artistic. In fact, she looked more like an artist than a baker and entrepreneur. She was wearing very, very unique (or weird, as some would call it) clothes. Machi noticed that although she exuded the air and attitude of a yuppie, she was in fact quite old and wizened. Her hands were wrinkled, and her face was etched with the lines of old age.
"Um..." said Machi, unsure of how to react to this woman who was so, to put it nicely, different.
"Hello, there, Machi is it?" said the lady, beaming. In the process, she flashed her pearly whites.
"Yes. And you must be Ms. Blueberry Muffin?" said Machi cautiously.
"Call me Blu, dear. So, shall we start with your briefing and get you your uniform?"
Machi was taken aback. Didn't she need an interview? Don't you need interviews when you get a job? Isn't that what Feitan and the ever wise Sharlnack had said?
"Don't I need an interview?" said Machi carefully, in case she sounded stupid for not knowing the ways of the mere mortals.
"No, no, dear. We're in a staff shortage crisis, so I'll need all the help I can get. Follow me, and I'll get you your uniform, and contract, and you can start today."
"Today!" exclaimed Machi, much to her surprise. A lot of things were not turning out the way she expected. Starting her job on the spot, as well as no interview? Was this a blessing or not?
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One briefing, one contract signing, an introduction to the two remaining faithful chefs who didn't go on strike and seven uniform fittings later, Machi found herself leaning against the counter, bored. It had been quite a fast day. She seized a job without having to present her resume (made up by Sharlnack and proofread by Feitan), an interview or even pass a background check. She didn't know to be grateful for this or annoyed that she didn't experience the full employment process.
She sighed wistfully. This place was quite as boring as headquarters. She did not expect working to be like this. Where Feitan had his daily dose of excitement from his job by stopping fights and exchanging a few punches in the process if necessary, none of this applied to Machi's job as a shop assistant.
Over the day, customers came and left. Tarts, cakes and bread were bought and eaten. Machi learnt to use her manners by saying "Welcome!", "Excuse me, how may I help you?" and "Thank you, good bye!".
In fact, she said it so many times to so many customer that she felt as though these good manners will rub off on her. Maybe, eventually, before she robbed someone, she would say, "Excuse me, how may I rob you?"
Most of her days here drifted slowly from morning to evening in a similar fashion. As with all days, her boss would come out in the evening to tell her to start packing up, wiping down the trays and collecting the tongs back into the basket. On one particular late afternoon, as she was wiping the counter down, the bell chimed, signalling another customer. She continued to scrub furiously, head bent in concentration.
"Welcome!" she said, tiredly but instinctively. "Please make your selection quickly as we are about to close down."
"Hello, Machi," said a familiar voice.
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Next Chapter: Who is the owner of the familiar voice? Well, read the next chapter and find out!
As you may have realised, I suck at making up names.