I love you all! Reviewers, story-alerters, favouriters, and my beloved sister for beta-ing and making stuff even more awesome! My good, good friend RGNN for making me laugh, and my reviewers again! ^^ I'm sorry I just can't meet you all to give you real cookies I bake. *sighs* THANKYOU!

Here's the newest instalment (haha, fancy word!) so please read and enjoys. Any complaints will be taken into account and thought about, and just plain encouragement will be taken as such! ^^

Dusky sighed as she put down the public phone after it said to her for the fifty-millionth time 'The number you have dialled is currently unavailable...'. Wind had probably gotten hold of their phones or something, since she couldn't ring either Wind's or Killua's phones.

In fact, Dusky contemplated, her instincts were telling her that Wind had actually chucked one of their phones out the window, but even though that's what she expected Wind to do, Wind couldn't have possibly actually done that. She wasn't that crazy. And Dusky wasn't as close to Gon as Killua, so calling him would be awkward. Besides, Gon didn't have blackmailing potential. She was bored. Dusky wandered back into the library. Wrong

'Hey Joy! Where's Kurapika?' she said to the library assistant. Since Kurapika was spending so much time in libraries, she had become friends with quite a few of the staff.

'Kurapika's in the research section. As usual.' Joy rolled her eyes as she said it to her. Dusky grinned.

'Well, it wouldn't be Kurapika not to be predictable now, hey?' Joy giggled as she moved another stack of books. Dusky inwardly shuddered at the unnatural sound. Wind never giggled.

'Don't know what you see in him really. He looks good, but he's just too serious. Does he even realise you like him?' Dusky grinned.

'Nope! And I intend to keep it that way!' Joy giggled a high ear-piercing giggle again, and this time Dusky winced. 'Err... I'll be going now then!'

'Bye!' And Joy went back to stacking books. Dusky wandered aimlessly around the library. To tell the truth, she really missed the annoying old man way of thinking that Wind did. It just didn't seem right, not having her around to pour cold water on her ideas after practically being her mother for what... six years now?

After moping around feeling homesick for Wind, Kurapika found her in the midst of the historical animals section.

'Dusky! I found what I was looking for. I wrote down the address see?' He showed her. 'Can we go?'

'Sure! I was sick of reading so much anyway...' Kurapika nodded, and suddenly got a preoccupied look.

'Then we'll leave in half an hour ok?' Dusky nodded, and Kurapika left.

She didn't know really, but Kurapika seemed to be gradually becoming more and more... emo. And she didn't know how to stop it. It seemed like the more he read, the more preoccupied, the less time he spent with the simple pleasures of life.

For the first week, he was normal. He still smiled, ate meals with her, joked around and of course, went to the library.

But in the second week, he started to change. There were less and less jokes, more borrowing of books, less meals spent at the table and he practically spent every free particle of time in the library. But that wasn't just it. The more books he read about his clan and what he was searching for, the more solemn he became.

And she had grown sick of it. So one day, Dusky gave him a solid whack on the head and told him to cheer up.

And well, let's just say she would give him an award for "commendable effort".

So then afterwards, after getting totally sick of him emo attitude, she phoned Wind and got very entertained.

Dusky wondered when she would confess...

She got back to her room in the hotel and packed her stuff. And exactly half an hour later, Kurapika knocked on her door.

'I checked out, and we'll be catching the 2:30 train soon. Want to walk together?' Dusky beamed, and nodded.

The only thing she could do now was to smile for him. Since he was getting more and more depressed by the day.

As they walked down the street, Dusky inwardly sighed while babbling about what she thought was boring about the library.

How could she get Kurapika out of his emo mood?

With Wind...

I nervously sipped my pineapple juice and glanced over at Killua.

'So...'

'Err...'

We both said at the same time. We started and waved our hands around.

'You first!'

'No, you first!'

'No, I must insist.' Killua shook his head.

'Well... what do you want to eat?' I would've laughed at his ice-breaker if it wasn't so awkward.

'What about the lamb special? It's half-price.'

'Then I'll get the chicken risotto.' Killua called a waitress over and gave her our orders. To my abject surprise, the waitress fluttered her eyelashes and smiled coyly. She flicked curly, dyed-red hair over one shoulder and tilted her head to one side as she wrote down our orders. Every now and then, she'd ask Killua to repeat an order, and every time she did she smiled slowly at him. I think she thought she was smiling in a seductive way.

Eww... what a pedophile. He's twelve and you look at least fifteen...

She left, flicking her hair once more over her shoulder and flounced off, her short black skirt swirling around her legs, after winking at Killua. After laughing at him secretly, and with that epic conversation over, we fell back into silence. I stared out the window to the people walking outside chatting happily. I really shouldn't have said my comment. Killua was also looking awkward.

'Well... how is Gon?' I asked. Killua seemed relieved by a conversation starter.

'He's fine! The doctors gave him another check-up, and they said that he'll be fine in four months, and–' he started babbling. I smiled and nodded. He didn't seem to realise I was there when the doctor said his verdict of four months.

'That's really good! You going to fight anytime soon?'

'Nah, I'm going to be with Gon until he gets out of hospital. You?'

'Same, I'm not a fighting freak like you two are. I fight out of necessity.' Killua looked mock-offended.

'Us? Fighting freaks? We just get exhilarated from the crowd.' I raised an eyebrow and we both laughed.

'Well...' My reply was interrupted by the waitress with our orders. I happily started munching on my lamb special. Killua similarly dug into his food. We talked of course, the earlier awkwardness gone.

It was fun, we went from talking about Gon to what type of shoes were the most comfortable to wear.

'Of course it's sneakers!'

'No, it couldn't be! Soft...' We stopped arguing over our dessert (Killua had chocolate mousse. Me on the other hand, got a pineapple surprise) when a shadow blocked the light from our table.

'Aren't you Killua? And Wind?' I looked up to see Efoe in all his glory, standing between us and the light. I took his face and blond hair. I hadn't seen him since the hunter exam!

'Efoe!' I exclaimed happily. Killua smiled and waved.

'Hey, mind if I join you?'

'Nope!' I shoved over a little, though it was a bit cramped, Efoe squeezed in. I was squished between the window and Efoe though.

'So, what happened after the Hunter Exam?' Efoe shrugged.

'I was wandering all over the place until I ran out of money. Then I heard of this awesome place where you get money by fighting. So I came here. Though I was really surprised about nen. I found it out when I was travelling in the mountains and was saved by this really old mountain guru...' Then he clapped his hands over his mouth.

'Aah! You might not know what nen is! Sorry!' Killua waved a hand in reassurance.

'We've already learnt the basics of nen, don't worry. Though Wind only has her tenketsu half-opened.' I grinned and gave him a thumbs-up. 'Gon's hospitalised.'

Efoe looked concerned.

'Is he ok?'

'The doctors are saying he'll recuperate in four months. Hey, so you're in the celestial tower too?' He grinned at Killua.

'Yup! I'm at level one-hundred and seventy! Are you two in the celestial tower?' We nodded.

'We're both on level two-hundred.' I replied, shoving a huge bite of pineapple into my mouth. Killua raised an eyebrow at me, and I smiled as much as I could with my mouth full. Efoe was staring at us.

'Wow! That's amazing!' We both blushed.

'It's nothing...' while scratching the back of our heads. Efoe looked at the two of us and laughed.

'You two had the same reaction!' Killua and I looked at one another.

'I guess so.' We both shrugged at one another and laughed with Efoe. Then Killua suddenly sobered and asked a question.

'Hey Efoe, why weren't you surprised that Wind was a girl?' I started. Oh yeah, I was a boy back then wasn't I?

'Oh, I saw her dancing on the lake in the hunter exam! By the way Wind, you're looking particularly lovely today.' I blushed, and Killua seemed to ignore my reaction and started talking.

'Me too! Hey,' he looked at me. 'Why were you dancing on the lake?' I smiled sheepishly and swallowed the bite of pineapple I had just stuffed into my mouth.

'Well, it was my twelfth birthday.' They looked at me.

'Oh! Happy late birthday!' Efoe said while hooking an arm around my shoulders. Killua glared at the arm.

'Well,' I said while scraping the bottom of the pineapple surprise, 'it was awhile ago.' Efoe suddenly noticed Killua glaring at his arm.

'Hey, what's with the glaring?' He took his arm off my shoulders.

'Not much.' Efoe grinned.

'Really now?'

I ignored them. Something had suddenly floated into my mind.

"You know, there's a legend in our Wind tribe. The first person to see you on your twelfth birthday would have a strong chance of being the person's partner."

Chiiyo's words echoed into my brain. What did partner mean? Usually in Avril, partner meant that they would be partners for life, which probably meant getting married...

And then I connected the dots.

Legend... first person to see on twelfth birthday... dancing on lake... Efoe saw me... Killua just admitted seeing me... partner... you don't say?

I looked up to see that Efoe and Killua had escalated to a glaring competition.

'Well, I'm sure she likes me better.'

'Well, ever heard of "bonds through fighting?" I understand her way more than you do.'

'But I lo–' he suddenly looked at me and stopped, after seemingly noticing that I was actually listening to their conversation. Then he grinned at Efoe (though it seemed rather forced).

'Sorry for the outburst.' Killua apologised to Efoe for...what? I missed it.

'No prob.' Then they went back to smiling and talking. I stared at them weirdly.

What the heck was that about?

I puzzled over it (my brain seemed to be slowing down these days...) and shrugged. Why not just ask?

'Hey, what were you arguing about just then?' They looked at me and smiled simultaneously. It was kind of freaky.

'Nothing!' I narrowed my eyes but let it go.

To take my mind off things, I raised my hand. The waitress came over again, though she seemed to be checking out the new arrival. Then, as if deciding that both were "hot" (Dusky would say that) she fluttered her eyelashes at both of them.

I noticed then that her blouse was only had two buttons done up, compared to the demure five-buttons from before, and she used the advantage of me being squished beside Efoe as a reason to lean forward, showing plenty of boob and lacy black bra.

Efoe and Killua noticed her advances and suddenly looked green. I smiled wickedly at their discomfort.

'Can I have another two pineapple surprises?' The waitress nodded slowly (and I think she thought she was doing it seductively again, even though she just looks like a try-hard slut) and turned around to saunter back to the counter, her butt swaying in a suddenly very short skirt. Killua and Efoe looked very disturbed.

'That was disgusting.'

'Yeah.'

They seemed to forget their earlier argument as they were bonded together by trauma.

I just kept on smiling. A normal day, a normal day.

Although it would be nice if Dusky was here to enjoy this as well. Then we could chuckle over this together later.

Sigh... I put my head on my hand and looked out the window. Cars whizzed by, and the night sky didn't seem as dark. There were no stars in the big city.

Dusky... is she handling Kurapika's emo-ness well?

As I thought about it, the waitress came back again, holding my two pineapple specials. As she put them down, she started acting flirty again.

As I started eating my pineapple surprises, I laughed outright at their predicament as the girl kept doing over-rated "attractive" things. It was so... funny!

They just looked back sufferingly in response.

Which, of course, made me laugh even harder.

'Oh man, I'm stuffed!' I groaned as we started walking back to the tower.

'I don't wonder. You ate eight pineapple surprises.' I shrugged and grinned at Efoe. Killua had long gotten used to my pineapple craziness.

'Well, I need to get fatter!' He raised an eyebrow.

'Most girls would say the opposite you know.' I smiled.

'I know!' I grinned out.

And nearly banged into a pole.

'Careful.' Killua said, as he held my arm. Efoe took my other arm.

'Yeah. We better lead you out in the dark eh?' He winked. I scowled.

'I don't need any leading...' The started walking, ignoring me. They seemed to be muttering something to each other, while walking faster and faster and faster.

I tried to catch what they were saying.

'I'll win...'

'As if... she likes...'

'No, I've known... longer...' They both had this competitive look in their eyes. I sighed as they dragged even faster.

It sucked.

With Dusky

Dusky watched worriedly as Kurapika's fists tightened as the woman pointed to the seemingly empty air next to her.

'See what?' He replied to her question. The woman behind the counter smiled languidly, her purple hair abnormally bright against her dim surroundings.

'Yup. From the first time I saw you, I knew you don't use it yet. Come back when you do. You'll know what I mean.' Then the woman proceeded to wave them out. Dusky saw as Kurapika visibly clenched his teeth. He whirled around and walked back towards the door.

'Let's go Dusky.'

'Ok Kurapika.'

As they stood outside the decrepit building, Dusky couldn't but help being more worried. She just couldn't shake the feeling that Kurapika...

Was going to a place where she couldn't go.

Well, Efoe made an entrance again! ^^ Killua has competition. I just couldn't resist, though sorry if this sucks. ==" I personally think this isn't my best chapter out there, but my sister keeps saying its good, so yeah. ^^ I hoped you all liked it.

See you all next week! And please review! Reviews keep me posting! I write, but sometimes I don't post. Knowing people are out there makes me post my stories so everyone could read them! Hehe...