Disclaimer: I do not own hunterxhunter. All characters and plot of the said manga/anime are under the intellectual property of Yoshihiro Togashi. This is a work of pure fiction whereas names, OC's, places, or events are products of the author's imagination. If there is any resemblance to actual/real persons, places, or events, then it is pure coincidence. Furthermore, I do not own the cover image and give full credit to whoever owns it.


02/11/2005

From: Terrence Maron

To: Raine Maron

It's been about a month since she disappeared. It hurts so much. Not knowing where our daughter is or if she's suffering at all. I know I shouldn't bring this up all the time, but you're the only one who can understand this pain. This guilt. I shouldn't have left that day. I should've stayed near my family at all times.

I swear that after I find her, I'll retire from being a hunter. But now, I need all the access and information I can get from being a hunter so please hold on for a little bit more.

I'm trying darling. I'm trying so hard. So please don't give up as well. Keep your hope alive.

You and the baby stay safe at all times okay? I know you haven't decided on a name for him yet and you want me to make the final decision, so please wait for me until I find her. Once we're all together – complete, then we can decide a name for the baby.

I love you.

Sincerely, Terrence


Volume 1: Chapter 7

Dream Eggs

Kurapika returned to the group with a sullen face after getting rejected by Menchi just like the rest of the applicants.

"No better than 403…" The Kurta muttered in disappointment.

"Haha!" Leorio laughed at his blonde friend, "Better luck next time huh Kurapika?"

Erin immediately approached the Kurta and politely asked, "What did she say?"

"She said that the presentation of the dish is important but not at the expense of the flavor and that my dish was no better than Leorio's," Kurapika replied.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Erin said as she placed a hand on the Kurta's shoulder, "Getting compared to Leorio must be very depressing for you…"

"Indeed," he replied.

In the background, Leorio could be heard yelling and complaining at the two since he was offended by their subtle insults, though in the end, Kurapika and Erin just chose to ignore him.

"But," Erin continued while elegantly cupping her face with one hand, "I think I know what kind of dish Menchi wants now."

"Really?" Kurapika's eyebrows perked up in curiosity.

"Yes, I'll start making it now."

Leorio immediately snapped out of his tantrum after thinking that Erin might help him even if she said no such thing. "Oh! Teach us, Erin!"

"Yes," Kurapika agreed, "If it's not a hassle, then please give us a demonstration so that we'll know what to do for our second try."

Gon was now paying close attention to Erin and excitedly commented, "I can't wait to taste what you'll cook Erin!"

Since Gon was watching Erin cook, Killua had no choice but to stay beside him and observe her demonstration as well. Still, he decided to keep an uninterested look.

"Hmm… if I'm good enough," Erin softly said as she swiftly grabbed two cooking knives and sharpened them against each other thrice, "Then I would be glad to do so…"

The atmosphere surrounding Erin immediately changed as she quickly and efficiently chopped away through the ingredients she had gathered. One by one; each step that she carried out made her look like a professional chef as if she had been cooking every single day of her life.

W-what's this? Leorio thought to himself. This sarcastic little brat was actually this good?!

On Kurapika's side, he couldn't help but notice the intricate knife work that Erin possessed. The way she handles those knives is like second nature to her.

Though Erin practically still wore the same stoic expression since before, the Kurta also caught on to how Erin's eyes seemed to soften as she effortlessly moved in preparing her dish.

It almost looks like she's enjoying it. Kurapika thought.

It seemed like all of that happened in just a blink of an eye because a few moments later, Erin was already garnishing her dish and adding the last finishing touches.

"There. I'm done," The redhead daintily said.

"That was so cool!" Gon exclaimed as he stepped closer to her then leaned down to examine the dish she prepared. "Wah! This looks delicious! Now I want to take a bite!"

"It looks very impressive," Kurapika genuinely complimented her dish. He then placed a hand on his chin as he carefully examined the entire dish with his gaze. "I didn't know you were this skilled."

Hmph. I admit she has skill. Killua thought to himself. But it's not that big of a deal to be impressed about. As usual, he kept his indifferent persona.

"Woah…" Leorio was caught dumbfounded for a moment but then immediately realized something, "Wait a minute… Why didn't you tell us sooner that you were such a pro at cooking?!"

Erin raised an eyebrow at him and innocently replied, "I'm not a professional though?"

"What are you talking about?! Don't be sly! You totally moved like one!"

"I do not cook for a living so I am not a professional," She replied with an as-a-matter-of-fact tone.

"THAT'S NOT THE POINT HERE!" Leorio yelled at her, "The point is that you've got crazy good cooking skills!"

Erin paused and blinked at the sincerity she received from Leorio. She then raised her right hand with its palm facing upwards and stared at it, "Huh… I guess I do," she quietly mumbled then stayed silent.

There's that face again. Kurapika carefully observed her expression. The face that looks like she's stuck in a momentary trance. He wondered why she would suddenly look like that from time to time. "Who taught you how to cook?" he asked.

Erin's attention immediately fell on the Kurta who asked the question.

"… An acquaintance of mine," she replied then quickly slid over a silver platter that was covered, "Here, I also made portions for everyone," she smiled then removed the cover, revealing four medium-sized plates that looked identical to the main dish that she made.

Killua immediately noticed the number of plates and realized that she also prepared a dish for him as well. He glanced at her and found Erin already looking at him as well. Once their eyes made contact, Erin smiled at him like an angel.

What is she up to? Killua narrowed his eyes.

"Huh?! When did you make that?" Leorio asked in bewilderment.

"You didn't notice?" Erin asked innocently.

"Oi! We were watching you the whole time!"

Gon placed his hands on Erin's cooking station and gazed at the food in excitement, "You made this for us Erin?"

She nodded in reply.

"Awesome! Thanks!" He widely grinned at her.

"I don't know what to say, Erin…" Kurapika was hesitant to accept Erin's kind gesture and was feeling slightly embarrassed, "Thank you."

"Don't mention it," she softly replied.

Leorio and Gon were already drooling over the food and they couldn't wait another second. After Erin told them to enjoy they immediately grabbed their utensils and stuffed their faces.

"Mff! dis is… friggin' duhleeshooos!" Leorio commented in between bites.

Gon didn't even bother to comment and continued to gobble away.

Kurapika, of course, had the manners to decently consume the dish offered to him. After taking a bite, a pleasant expression washed over his face.

Erin daintily chuckled, "I'm glad you guys like it." The redhead moved her gaze towards the person who still hasn't touched his dish.

Killua was now feeling uncomfortable and conflicted about what he should do with the situation. And he could tell that Erin was staring at him on purpose – egging him on.

He stared at the dish that looked incredibly delicious and thought to himself. Is it poisoned? Well, it's not like it would harm me in any way. It's just that…

Killua glanced at Erin again and found her slightly smirking at him. Ugh! I feel like I would lose if I take a bite of her food! And why does it have to look so damn appetizing?!

Gon noticed that his silver-haired friend still wasn't taking a bite of his food and so in one swift movement, he took a large portion of it and shoved it into Killua's mouth.

"Mmmfff!" Killua was surprised at first but then he started to instinctively chew the food that tasted amazing in his mouth.

Shit! Why the hell does it have to taste this good?!

After completely swallowing the food, Killua turned to the raven-haired boy and shouted, "What the hell Gon?!"

"Hehe!" Gon merely gave him a goofy grin and a peace sign.

Erin softly giggled, catching Killua's attention. She kept her pure smile but slightly raised an eyebrow at Killua. The silver-haired boy couldn't help but twitch an eyebrow at her in return and didn't bother to hide his pissed-off expression.

This damn little…! Killua immediately composed himself so he chose to look away and just let out a short annoyed scoff.

The redhead then moved to grab her main dish and proceed towards the examiners, "I'm going to go and present this now alright?"

"Uhn!" Gon beamed at her.

"Knock 'em dead with your dish Erin!" Leorio cheered who was suddenly acting proud, probably out of gratitude for the food she cooked for them.

"I don't think that line fits in this case old man. Do you really want the examiners to get killed by her dish?" Killua sarcastically commented.

"What?!" Leorio whipped his head towards Killua, "It's called a metaphor!"

"You mean idiom, Leorio," Kurapika corrected.

"But isn't that the same thing?" Leorio confidently replied.

The Kurta sighed in frustration and chose to ignore his friend. I won't even bother…


"What I have for you is a Roasted Pork Tenderloin topped with a Ginger-Honey sauce with some bourbon-glazed carrots at the side," Erin articulately explained her dish as she gracefully placed it on the examiner's table. She then gave them the purest smile and said, "I hope you'll enjoy it."

Oh~ this looks promising. Menchi thought while twirling her fork, deciding whether she should try it. Well, let's see how it tastes like.

Both the examiners sliced a portion of the dish and brought their forks upon their mouths; one was eager while the other was hesitant.

Buhara tasted his first and quickly took a large portion of the dish and stuffed it into his mouth. Once Menchi took a bite her eyebrows perked up in delightful surprise, and she almost dropped her fork but managed to compose herself immediately.

"This…" Menchi said in a soft voice.

This is phenomenal! Each component of the dish is well-balanced. The pork itself is cooked to perfection and the glaze has such a rich taste. Everything just melts in my mouth!

For a few seconds, Menchi was left speechless while her fellow examiner continued to gobble away. She then let out a small chuckle.

"It's been a while since I've had to truly compliment a dish. This tastes incredible," Menchi looked at Erin with an amused smirk, "Do you consider cooking to be a passion of yours?"

"Of course," Erin lied. "To tell you the truth, I am actually aiming to become a Gourmet Hunter," she lied again, "That's why I was so delighted to find out that our examiners for the Second Phase were Gourmet Hunters," once again, the redhead effortlessly lied as she placed a hand over her left chest and slightly bowed her head, "It's an honor to meet the two of you even though I do not bear the title of a Hunter yet."

Menchi slightly blushed at the compliment. She didn't expect to be treated so respectfully by an applicant especially after the reactions she's received so far. After a few seconds, Menchi realized that she just showed Erin how taken aback she was by what the redhead said and so she immediately cleared her throat and leaned back to her usual sitting position.

"So who taught you the skills you have?" Menchi asked with a friendly tone.

Here it is. Erin thought.

If Erin wasn't putting on a show then she would've smirked then and there. But given that she was standing in front of the examiners she had to play the part.

Now to seal the deal.

"My adoptive father," Erin replied, "Abian Kuzmin." She said with a warm expression.

After mentioning the name, Menchi widened her eyes and even Buhara stopped devouring his food.

"What…? The Abian Kuzmin?" Menchi asked. She couldn't hide her shock and her mouth was now slightly agape.

Erin tilted her head and asked, "Yes?"

"He's not just one of the greatest Gourmet Hunters to have ever existed, but he's also at the top when it comes to all hunters!" Menchi exclaimed, "And you're saying that you're his daughter?!"

"Adoptive daughter," the redhead giggled.

Menchi and Buhara stayed stunned for a few seconds until the former broke their silence, "Well no wonder you're this good," She commented then politely waved an arm at Erin, "Please, you don't have to act too stiff and formal."

After hearing the insisting tone of Menchi, Erin followed and rested her shoulders that were kept straight since the beginning. Of course, the gesture was just an act to show the examiners that she was nervous, which was completely untrue.

"Thank God that at least one of this year's applicants knows how to appreciate the work we do. Forget about how hostile I was earlier, I only acted that way because there were too many ignorant bastards in this crowd. If another one of the applicants insults us one more time, I swear I might end up killing someone," Menchi said while giving the rest of the applicants a threatening gaze despite the smile she had on her face.

"Well, I don't mind," Erin replied then looked Menchi in the eye, "Those who only know how to bark while blinded by ignorance are always meant to die at some point," As she said that, the two examiners before her witnessed the menacing gleam in Erin's eyes. This showed them that she wasn't as innocent and weak as the others might perceive her to be. Buhara and Menchi glanced at each other and silently exchanged thoughts. They could tell that the girl standing before them was the kind of dangerous that could kill you in your sleep or stab you in the back and you'd have no clue as to how she would do it.

On the other hand, Erin knew that they had noticed the gaze that she showed them on purpose because she was aware that she had to show a little glimpse of her other side. Of course, she had to show them that she was strong enough to continue the exam and that she wasn't just good at a little cooking.

Buhara raised his stick with a circle on it while Menchi smirked at Erin then laughed.

"Heh. I like you kid!" She said then raised her stick with the circle-like symbol as well, "Congratulations, you're the first one to pass."

"Yay! Erin did it!" Gon's enthusiastic voice was so loud that Erin could hear it from the examiner's table.

Erin slightly bowed her head in thanks then walked back to her group.

"Way to go Erin!" Gon approached her with his hand raised, signaling for a high five.

Erin accepted his gesture and softly high-fived his raised hand.

Before Kurapika and Leorio could congratulate Erin, Menchi's voice echoed throughout the crowd. "I guess that settles it! Only one applicant has passed! Alright! This phase is now officially over!"

Every applicant started to complain, groan, or murmur in annoyance. The tension in the crowd continued to grow with every second and someone from the crowd decided to act upon that tension – it was Todo the wrestler who started to charge at Menchi.

Ara~ara… You might die Mr. Wrestler. Erin thought.

Buhara quickly intervened and smacked Todo away so hard that he flew back towards the front gates of the park. Menchi then stood up, slowly walked down the stairs, and proceeded to give out a long speech about how disappointing this year's batch of applicants was and that no one except a few actually made an effort. She added that the lack of initiative and creativity was enough to disqualify the applicants, except 406, from the Hunter exam.

Even though every applicant was already agitated, Erin quickly noticed one applicant in particular who was starting to send out malicious energy. She slowly glanced back at Hisoka.

Oh, dear… He's barely holding himself back. Erin darted her eyes towards Menchi and silently warned her in her head with a lack of worry for the examiner. Be careful Menchi-san, your impatience might be the end of you.

Everyone remained silent.

Hmm… What should I do now? Erin thought, already planning ahead and not feeling bothered by the situation at hand. Should I just fail the next phase and retake the Hunter exam with Gon?

Then suddenly a voice that sounded like it was amplified from a seemingly huge speaker blared out from up above.

"I understand your reasoning but isn't it a bit excessive to fail every single applicant?"

All the applicants look up to see an airship flying above them. Then all of a sudden, someone dropped down from the airship and landed on the ground, creating a small crater. It was an old man wearing something that looked like a traditional kimono attire. He calmly walked towards Menchi who was now standing straight and seemed to be more behaved.

"Uh… Who's the old geezer?" Leorio murmured to his companions.

As if to answer his query, Menchi announced to the crowd.

"He's Chairman Netero – the head of the Hunter's Association and basically, he's also the head of the Hunter Exam," Menchi explained.

"Precisely," The old man confirmed with a goofy expression.

Erin and the others continued to carefully observe the chairman and Menchi converse with each other.

"What do you think is going to happen?" Leorio asked.

"I'm not sure," Kurapika replied.

Eventually, Menchi bowed down to Netero and he urged her to stand straight once again. After another few seconds of conversing, the chairman and Menchi seemed to have come to an agreement.

Menchi then announced again to the applicants with a loud and clear voice, "Then the new test will be held at Mt. Split-in-Half!"


"Woah! That looks really fun!" Gon exclaimed as Menchi flew up from the ravine with an egg in her hand.

She then effortlessly landed at the edge of the ravine and presented it to the rest of the applicants, "Now I just have to boil the egg. Simple right?" Menchi looked at Erin and informed her, "You can sit this one out you know? Since you passed the original test of Phase Two then it's only fair."

"No, I'd still like to participate in this one," Erin quickly replied without hesitation. I should always stick close to Gon.

"Heh~ Are you sure? If you fail this one then there's nothing I can do about that."

"It's alright," Erin assured Menchi, "I just had the urge to eat boiled eggs," she lied with the thought that she truly didn't care about the dream eggs, but what she didn't know was that her heart was saying otherwise. In fact, a few minutes ago, the moment that Menchi mentioned the name "dream eggs" when she was explaining the new test, Erin's heart skipped a beat but immediately went back to normal thanks to the Sparrow's control. Still, she was surprised at how the thought of mere food could stir her up inside – she then realized that it wasn't just about the food, but as well as the memories that came with the dream eggs – just like one of her first memories with Abian as the two of them shared a quiet time eating the delectable delicacy.

"Well go ahead! Who am I to stop the cravings of someone's taste buds," Menchi grinned at her, "That's exactly the kind of spirit that a Gourmet Hunter would have kid!"

"Huh… Is that so…?" Erin wondered how Menchi could've seen something like a passionate spirit from her. The redhead decided to just take Menchi's comment as an ignorant one because Erin knew it herself that it was highly unlikely for her to be passionate about something.

Todo the wrestler cut in between their conversation and said with a terrified voice, "You want us to jump down there?! No human would be that insane!"

Immediately disproving Todo's claim, Gon positioned himself by the edge of the ravine and shouted, "I've been waiting for this!" He then jumped down the ravine without hesitation.

Not a second later, Erin, Killua, Kurapika, and Leorio followed suit – the five of them effortlessly grabbing onto a spider web. Many other applicants quickly jumped after the first five who moved, and now a large number of them was hanging on to the spider webs. A few of the applicants, who were foolish enough to not carefully observe Menchi's demonstration earlier, immediately let go of the web they were holding on to and grab a few Spider Eagle Eggs.

"We should get going too!" Leorio called out to the other four.

"Not yet!" Gon warned him which also caught the attention of the rest of the applicants.

"H-huh? Why?" Leorio asked.

The Kurta replied for Gon and said, "There isn't always an updraft."

A few moments later, the applicants who jumped down early realized that they weren't being blown up by any wind, and their screams echoed throughout the ravine as they plunged to their deaths.

"What poor unfortunate souls~" Erin commented with a mellow tone that did not match her statement at all.

Leorio, who was the only one who recognized the song Erin took her line from, looked at her like she was being weird then said, "Um… Now isn't really the time to quote a song from a movie y'know?"

All of a sudden, the webs started to get loose and a snapping sound could be heard.

"Gah! What the hell?!" Leorio shouted.

Kurapika looked up at the web they were holding on to, "There's too many of us. The web can't hold the weight!"

Killua, who looked as calm as ever turned to Gon and asked him if it was alright to let go already.

Gon shook his head in reply and told them to wait. He started sniffing at the air and every other applicant watched Gon – waiting for his signal. After a few seconds, he finally yells, "Now!" And everyone immediately let go, grabbed an egg of their own, and safely got blown up by the updraft.


Menchi watched as all the applicants who managed to retrieve a dream egg, reveled in the heavenly taste of the now-boiled eggs, and each one of them happily enjoyed it. She felt satisfied to see how they were now appreciating the joy that every Gourmet Hunter yearned to achieve. As she moved her gaze, she spotted a certain redhead who was currently eating a dream egg of her own bit by bit.

Erin seemed to have noticed someone staring at her so she glanced to whoever those pair of eyes belonged to. The redhead saw Menchi gesturing with her hand for Erin to come closer, to which she obliged.

Once she arrived in front of Menchi, the tall woman asked her, "Well? What do you think of the taste?"

Erin paused and looked down at the half-eaten egg she was holding, "It tastes exactly how I remembered it."

"W-what? You've eaten this before?" A bead of sweat appeared on the temple of Menchi's head.

"Yes. Abian brought home a couple of dream eggs some time ago."

"Haha… Of course, why didn't I think of that? It would be weirder if someone like him wasn't able to do so for his daughter..." Menchi awkwardly chuckled, "Then you participated because you wanted to eat them again?"

"Hmm… They are uniquely delicious but it's not just that," Erin replied and closed her eyes. She tried to recall the moments she had with Abian, the quiet and calmness that she felt from that time when they ate those dream eggs. And as she was remembering them, she felt a sudden emptiness within her, as if all those memories weren't real because she still found it so hard to be true that she would be capable of feeling something close to peacefulness. So she opened her eyes and pushed away from the memories, convincing herself that they were nothing but a dream, "I guess I just wanted to remember the feeling I had when I ate them the first time."

Menchi noticed that the subtle spark that Erin's eyes had when she ate the dream eggs a while ago was now gone, and they were replaced with an empty gaze. She didn't bother to pry any further but still asked, "So did you get that feeling again?"

Erin looked at the other four companions she had, specifically at Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio who happily ate their dream eggs. The redhead could not help but wonder if she could ever look as bright as them. "It's not quite the same," Erin turned to her examiner and gave her a smile that almost looked melancholic in Menchi's eyes then she said, "But I believe it's also not that different."

After saying those words, Erin felt a sharp pain in her head. It was the kind of pain that could make a normal person suddenly fall to the ground but for Erin, it was nothing that she couldn't handle.

Huh…? Erin thought in disbelief but kept her unreadable expression. A headache?


The rest of the applicants who passed the Second Phase of the exam were now riding the Chairman's airship. They all listened attentively as he gave them a brief orientation. "You are all allowed to wander around, rest, or do whatever you want in the airship until 8:00 A.M. At that time, we will be arriving at our next destination which will be the site for the next phase of the exam," Netero informed them with a happy smile then dismissed the applicants, "That's all!"

Without a second to waste, all the applicants dispersed to wherever they wanted to go or whatever they wanted to do.

Hmm… I wonder what Gon wants to do now? Erin thought but also found herself looking for a certain blonde who she had to talk to. With a quick scan of the room, she immediately found him and Leorio together. They were about to exit the hall until Tonpa called out to them out of nowhere and started talking to them. That old man again… Erin's annoyance started building up and before she could approach them, her headache appeared again, but this time, it was even more painful. What in the world? Why the sudden headaches?

"Gon!" Killua called out then pointed a thumb at one of the doors that showed the exit from the hall that they were in, "Want to explore the airship?"

Gon excitedly replied, "Sure!" then followed his friend who was now moving towards the exit. He looked back at his redheaded friend and called out to her as well, "Come on, Erin!"

"Geh!" Killua expressed with a displeased tone, "Why are you calling her too?" He whispered to Gon in annoyance.

"Eh? Why not?"

Erin wanted to accompany Gon at all times, but at the moment, she felt like she had to finish her talk with Kurapika. The redhead didn't find the airship to be a dangerous place so she felt more comfortable in letting Gon wander around without her. Even though Gon would be with Killua, she concluded that the silver-haired boy wouldn't do anything suspicious or dangerous in the airship.

"It's alright, Gon," Erin reassured him as she kept a composed face, "Go ahead."

"Aw…" Gon expressed disappointment and showed Erin a saddened face. Then, the raven-haired boy decided to stare at Erin's face solely due to the reason that his instincts told him to do so. Since Gon had incredibly sharp instincts, he could tell that something was off about his redheaded friend, "Is something wrong, Erin?" He asked with a concerned tone.

Erin did her best to muster up the best smile she could offer, trying to hide the throbbing pain in her head, then she replied, "It's nothing. Don't worry I'll catch up. I'll just find you later okay?"

Gon was hesitant at first but decided to trust Erin's assurance, "If you say so…"

"Well there's that," Killua impatiently said then ran off, "Let's go Gon!"

Gon turned to follow him and widely grinned at Erin, "See ya later!"

Erin waved him goodbye and kept her pleasant facade. When the two boys left the room, she immediately shifted to her usual stoic façade and glanced back at Kurapika and Leorio. Coincidentally, it looked like Tonpa already finished saying what he had to say since he was already walking away from the two.

Why are my priorities starting to fluctuate? Erin mentally asked herself because she was confused as to why helping Kurapika was actually starting to matter to her when from the beginning, for her to achieve her objective, the only person who she needed to look out for was Gon.

With an internal conflict accompanied by a throbbing headache, Erin didn't even notice that she was now staring at Kurapika with an intense gaze. Due to his sharp senses, Kurapika immediately felt her gaze and turned to look at her.

I guess now's the time… The Kurta thought.

"Leorio," Kurapika called out to the tall man, "You go on ahead and sleep, I still want to inquire about some things with the staff."

"Inquire?" Leorio asked him with an annoyed voice then yawned, "Jeez, what a workaholic. Go on and knock yourself out! I'm hitting the sack!" The tall man waved a hand at Kurapika then proceeded towards one of the sleeping rooms.

Once Leorio was out of sight, the blonde walked towards Erin. Currently, only the two of them were left in the hall since everyone else had already left.

Erin smiled at the Kurta then asked, "Kurapika, What did that old man want again?" Her angelic voice echoed throughout the empty hall they were in.

"Oh, you mean Tonpa-san?" Kurapika recalled then folded his arms, "As usual he was trying to make us worry for no reason," he then shrugged his shoulders as he said, "His ploy was too obvious though."

Erin stayed quiet for a moment, with her head still aching from the constant sharp pain. What's wrong? She thought to herself as the pain gradually started to grow.

In a blink of an eye, as if the pain was telling her to do so, she unconsciously decided to shift into her ominous demeanor, and with that, all of a sudden, her headache vanished.

Kurapika dropped his arms to his sides as he noticed the negative energy surrounding Erin.

"… I can do something about him you know," Erin said with a low threatening voice that Kurapika has never heard her use before, "If he's already impeding your performance in this exam," Erin glanced with hostility towards the exit of the hall where Tonpa passed through, "I can easily deal with him."

For the first few seconds, after Erin uttered those words, Kurapika stayed silent in shock. He had never seen Erin look so enraptured by menace. But once he processed the words she said and what she implied, he furrowed his brows.

"Erin!" Kurapika raised his voice at her which sounded very similar to how an adult would scold a young child for doing something irresponsible.

After hearing the tone of voice that the Kurta used, Erin immediately snapped out of whatever hostile energy came over her.

Kurapika noticed this and said in a calmer voice, "You don't have to go that far… and besides, we can handle him without resorting to… that."

Erin darted her eyes from Kurapika then to the floor.

For a normal person, Erin's face would've looked like a blank canvass, but in Kurapika's eyes, he could somehow tell that she was genuinely surprised by what she just said.

"I… I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me," Erin apologized with a monotonous tone – showing no traces of the kind, dainty, and innocent demeanor she had always shown.

What's going on with her? Kurapika thought. She doesn't show it all the time but there are instances when it's as if she's conflicted or confused about something.

"Are you feeling alright? Is something bothering you?" He asked with a genuinely concerned voice.

"Yes and No," Erin quickly answered both of his questions like she was brushing them off, then she immediately changed the topic which wasn't left unnoticed by the blonde, "Anyway, I think it's about time we had that talk."

Kurapika paused for a moment but decided to refrain from probing Erin, "Of course, we can talk here since there's no one around."

Erin nodded then walked towards the side of the hall. She then sat on one of the benches in front of the airship's windows.

"We should sit because I have quite a lot to say," Erin said.

Kurapika then proceeded to sit beside her with a little bit of distance to avoid invading her personal space, "Indeed… Because I have a lot to ask as well."

A brief silence washed over them until Erin finally spoke out.

"I am from Teradiz, specifically from Khamat."


Author's Note: Yes... I know guys... TWO CHAPTERS IN A ROW! Hahahahaha! I feel so proud even if it's a small achievement Hahahaha...

Okay. Nevermind.

As usual, thanks for continuing to follow the story! Stay safe and see you all next chapter.

P.S Don't hesitate to leave a review or question because I would love to interact with you all ;D