A/N: Sneezing22turtle, thank you so much for your review! It really flattered me and got me all motivated to post this despite my workload. I hope you all enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Hunter x Hunter.
CHAPTER 16
Her eyes opened and she found herself inside a small cottage.
She got up groggily while rubbing the sleep away from her eyes. The girl yawned loudly and stretched when she noticed a small picture frame on the bedside table which looked out of place on the rustic furniture. She picked it up carefully and looked at the smiling people in the photo.
There was a tall man with red hair, his green eyes gleaming with mischievousness. Next to him was a woman. She had beautiful long blonde locks that framed her face perfectly. Her gray eyes sparkled with happiness, contentment, and love. In front of them were two young girls that stood awkwardly arm in arm. It seemed that they were twins if it weren't for their different hair color. One had slightly unruly red hair and stormy gray eyes. Her smile was reserved but nonetheless true. The other girl had pin-straight blonde hair and bright green eyes which smiled as she did.
They look like a happy family.
All of a sudden, a loud horn resounded from the distance. She flinched at the sound and she quickly got up to sneak a peek outside. They were surrounded by towering trees and only a small clearing was given for the village. There were cottages, big and small, and some intricate tree houses, and in seemingly random places, there were stone pillars where tribal patterns were engraved on them from top to bottom. Then she noticed how the people suddenly grew in number and she saw that they were headed to the amphitheater, all dressed in expensive fabric and shimmering jewelries.
"Little aster, it's almost time."
She turned around, seeing the owner of the voice. It was the blonde woman in the photo who smiled more beautifully in real life.
It was her mother.
A tiny blonde head peeked from the side and she saw her twin sister smile toothily at her. "Let's go Nao!" she urged.
"Do we have to go, mama?" the girl asked apprehensively. She didn't know why she was nervous, but she felt that something bad would happen and she didn't want to attend the Apprenticeship.
"Yes we must little aster. Now get dressed." her mother urged, giving her light green robes to put on. She sighed while taking them, and with a solemn expression, put them on. When she was through, the girl let her mother fix her slightly unruly red hair, braiding it expertly, adding white aster buds for finishing touches.
"There. I'll get your father. You should call your sister and then we can go." her mother said smiling warmly at her.
The girl got up and ran outside to find her sister. Her feet automatically ran through the shrubs and she found herself on a familiar path. In another small clearing, slightly further from their cottage, was a butterfly garden. She and her sister found it a year before and they've always returned there since.
As if proving her point, she saw her twirling around the fluttering butterflies, laughing giddily. Her sister wore the same robes as her except they were baby blue in color. Her blonde hair was also fixed in a braid with little red hyacinth petals scattered strategically.
"Mother says we should go Mehika." she said, giving her a small smile.
"Aw. I don't really wanna go there. The old people are meanies and I feel bad. Can't we just stay here and play Nao?" the blonde pouted.
"I know. I feel bad too, but mother and father will be sad. And the oldies would get even more mean if we don't come. They know us."
They both released a long sigh, looked at each other, and laughed. "You're right. Let's go Nao!" Mehika said, taking her sister's hand and leading the way back.
They were one of the last ones to reach the amphitheater and as soon as they sat down, the Master spoke. "As you all know, my reign is near its end. I can proudly say that it was fruitful and i have been able to bring prosperity to the land. However, it is now time to call the gods so that they may choose a worthy successor. Let us begin!" The crowd bowed their heads and stayed silent as the Elders and the Master chanted feverishly.
The red-head opened one eye and saw storm clouds forming in the sky. She held onto her sister's hand tighter and pressed her eyes shut once more out of fear.
A beam of light suddenly shot through the storm's eye and the people gasped.
It had landed on a girl.
On two girls.
The twins looked up in shock, slightly blinded but still hand in hand, and they saw the looks of disbelief in the people, especially in the Elders and the Master.
"Nao, I'm scared." Mehika whimpered, hiding behind her equally terrified sister. And among the crowd, they heard a man shout, "Blasphemy!"
Then there was chaos.
Renée woke with a start.
'A dream.' she thought, breathing heavily. 'That's the first time since...' She shuddered.
"Bad dream?"
Her head spun to her right and she saw Killua look at her curiously, waiting for an answer.
"Um. Yeah. I just remembered what happened to me on the slave ship." she lied. She didn't know what to make of her dreams yet so she doesn't want to tell until she was sure.
The boy only hummed at her response, noticing that it was a lie but he didn't push her. Whatever was bothering her was for her to deal with, no matter how curious he was. "What did happen to you on that ship? How did you get there?" he asked, despite himself, propping himself up on his elbow to face her.
Renée pondered for a bit if she should tell him or not, but she knew he was a friend even though he was incredibly annoying.
"It isn't really something I'd want to remember, but I can't really forget. When I woke up on that horrible ship, I was taught how to work. To clean, cook, polish, wash, and serve the pigs that ran the thing. I was not allowed to talk, or to eat without permission, or to play. Not even to rest. The people there are all cruel, even the slaves. No one will help you no matter how tired you are or even if you're dying."
"Even you?" Killua asked.
She looked down, albeit guilty. "Yes. Even me. I was shown mercy by one woman though. Her name was Emilia. She was a slave there for God knows how long. She taught me how things went on that ship and for once I was happy because I thought I found a friend. I was wrong. She betrayed me."
A tear fell from her eye and she was surprised as another fell. Renée looked at the assassin, her cheeks stained with tears, and he found himself at a loss of what to do.
"H-hey don't cry! Don't continue the story if it bothers you."
His flustered state made her laugh and she shook her head. "I think I actually need to get it out. I never really opened to anyone how my life was on that ship."
Killua's brows furrowed, not sure if he should feel honored or embarrassed, but he stayed silent to urge her to continue.
"Emilia is the captain's favorite, you see. She is still a slave but the captain gave strict orders not to hurt her or give her any heavy workload. At first I admired her. She was beautiful, strong, and down to earth. But that all changed when I was given orders to serve food in the captain's cabin. I found out why she was special. She was there to pleasure the captain. And I saw her doing something intimate with the old man."
She turned serious. "I dropped the food on the table and planned to run out but the captain grabbed my wrist. He was drunk of moonshine and he asked me to strip." her voice croaked as fresh tears threatened to escape her eyes. The assassin looked away, knowing where it was leading.
"I-I cried to Emilia f-for help. B-but she just smirked and h-helped the captain r-raise my dress. I p-panicked and I didn't know how b-but I managed to burn them. I watched them scream and die." she laughed mirthlessly. "The other men came in and they beat me up and locked me in the boiler room, not sure what to do with me. I was so angry. I increased the pressure until the gauges shattered and it wasn't long until the ship itself exploded and capsized. Next thing I knew, I was swimming for shore. Then I was on Whale Island." she finished, wiping the tears from her eyes, smiling despite her experiences.
"I... Don't know what to say. But Ren, how did you get on that ship?" he asked again.
"I don't know how I got there. I don't remember anything before the ship Killua."
"Nothing at all? Doesn't it come back to you like when amnesia happens?"
"None. Not even my name. The doctor in Whale Island examined me and she found my brain undamaged and completely normal."
Her situation struck a memory in his head and he suddenly felt cold sweat drip down his back.
"Old man?"
'It can't be her.' he thought, paling considerably.
"Hey idiot."
'But then Godfrei. A ship. Slaves. It has to be-!'
"Killua!"
His eyes snapped up and focused at the girl before him whose eyes shone with worry. "Are you okay? Do you feel tired?" she asked, concern laced in her voice.
"What's wrong?" Kurapika's slightly tired voice asked.
"I don't know. The old man spaced out. Must be his dementia acting up."
That was when he managed to snap out of it. Killua whacked her with a pillow. "And here I thought the crybaby was concerned about me."
She glared at him and threw the pillow back, which he caught much to her frustration. "You're so full of yourself! Egoistical maniac!"
"Bipolar moron!"
"Recluse!"
"Wild child!"
The two continued biting each other's heads off while passing the pillow around. At one point, Renée dodged it and the pillow headed for Gon.
They were surprised when he blocked it and threw it back at them. Killua caught it absentmindedly, grinned, and threw it back. The dark-haired boy caught it and threw it back again which led to a full-on pillow fight.
"Hey! Pipe down! I'm trying to sleep here." Leorio complained, half-asleep.
The red-head smirked and threw a pillow at him, hitting him square on the face. Everyone laughed at his expression.
After a day's worth of exploring the whole room, and a side dish of annoying Leorio, everyone was asleep once again. Even a certain white-haired assassin.
That was changed when Renée woke with a start.
She breathed heavily, placing her face in her palm in resignation. 'That dream again. Who were they? Mehika, mother, father, and that girl Nao. Were they my family?' She pondered on that thought, knowing she was deluding herself.
"Pfft. Yeah right." she smiled bitterly.
"What's right Renée?"
The voice made her jump and she turned to Kurapika who was looking at her innocently through his eye mask.
"Seriously! You and Killua should learn some manners! The heart attack you two are giving would be the death of me!" she half-whispered, half-yelled.
The blonde smiled apologetically, though he was amused deep down inside. "You barely slept today. As well as last night. Yes, I know you were up with Killua, talking." he said before she could react.
Renée pouted. "Eavesdropper." At this, Kurapika laughed, making the girl smile a little.
She thought for a moment, curiously looking at all the books he has read. 'What do I have to lose?'
The red-head crawled towards the Kurta's side and he watched her silently. Once there, she sat down, her knees close to her chest, and she bit her lip in apprehension.
"Well? You have something to ask?" Kurapika stated.
Renée looked at him, awed and offended that he read her so well. Steeling herself, she decided to push through with it anyway. "Say, Kurapika, can you tell the name of a tribe from its architecture?"
He was slightly caught off-guard with her question, but he recalled from memory all architecture oddities that each tribe may have and nodded unsurely. The girl's face lit up and she grabbed a piece of paper and a pencil from the book shelf and drew furiously.
"It may not be that good, but I'm sure you can still tell what it is." she explained to him while drawing the pillars. "They're made of stone and have these weird markings etched in the body, and at the top, there is an ugly face." she continued, drawing the parts she indicated. Kurapika peeked at the drawing and saw that it resembles somewhat a totem pole, except there was only one face. Then Renée drew a platform and steps leading upward, an amphitheater.
It was familiar to him, he didn't know why, but he dreaded to answer her and he wished he was wrong. "Do you know any other information about that tribe?" he asked, wetting his lips.
She looked at him, her eyes so innocent and wondrous, and the lump in his throat formed. "They have this ritual, the Apprenticeship, I think."
Then everything was confirmed.
Kurapika briefly glanced at her sword, turned to her, and swallowed thickly.
"Scillio."
The blonde gauged her reaction but she only blinked at him and he released a breath he didn't know he was holding, though the uneasiness never left him. "The Scillio tribe. They were known for their religious practices as it influenced today's beliefs. The most popular ritual is the Apprenticeship, the choosing of the next chief. It is said that the Apprentice is chosen through divination recited by the Master and the Elders. The Master is what the chief is called and he is replaced by the Apprentice after death. He is also responsible for training the Apprentice, which is chosen after 5 decades of a Master's reign. The Elders are there for guidance and counsel and should the Master die before the Apprenticeship is done, then they are all responsible of doing the divination. This method is what gave birth to the democracy we use today, and even some empires have used this method or a variation of it."
Renée processed it all, but there was a part that bothered her. "So this Apprentice, can only be a boy? And can only be one?" she asked.
"Well according to the records, there have never been a female ruler or multiple Masters. So yes."
And so she understood.
'But why do I dream of that? There have been no record of a female ruler, let alone two. Surely something like that would've been recorded? It must be coincidence?'
"What's wrong Renée? Is it something about your memories? Do you know anyone from there?" the Kurta asked, worried about her.
Her eyes snapped up towards him and she faked a smile. "Nothing Kurapika. Thanks for telling me, good night!" she tried to reassure him and gave him a hug before crawling back to her side of the bed and lying down.
He watched her, not bothering to call her out as she pretended to sleep. 'I should probably tell her about that sword of hers. Tasha Godfrei. Her foster father is a strange man.' Kurapika thought, remembering what Xing had told them.
He tried to shrug it off and opted to sleep, so he returned his eye mask and slumbered.
The timer on the wall read 59 seconds and the five friends gathered up their belongings as it counted down. Gon was already by the exit though there was 20 seconds left, and the others followed not long after.
10 seconds.
"Damn. This is one long minute." Leorio muttered.
5 seconds.
"Get ready."
Renée said, preparing to run.
Time's up.
"Let's go!"
Gon dashed forward and Renée and Killua followed while Kurapika and Leorio settled for a jog.
They encountered a lot of obstacles along the way: running as the stones fell beneath your feet, running from a large boulder, and climbing down a small opening. Once again, they were faced with a choice.
"Press O to open door; X to keep it close. It should be obvious by now." Leorio muttered all pressed a button and the screen revealed O - 4, X - 1.
"What the hell!? Who pressed X!?" he exclaimed.
"It was me. I accidentally pressed the wrong button." Renée said.
"I've had enough of your attitude! Stop ruining things for us, kid!" he yelled angrily.
This caused the girl to look at him in disbelief. "Excuse me? I'm ruining things for us? The freaking door opened Leorio! It's not like it took us 50 hours to move on from this spot!" she snidely commented, knowing it was a touchy subject for the man.
As expected, he recoiled from shock but quickly masked his expression with anger. "What was that, you little brat!"
"It's true and you know it. You're the downfall of this group." she condescended.
"Renée, Leorio, enough! Stop wasting more time bickering. The door opened, let's go." Kurapika stopped them.
Gon took the girl by the hand and she held her head up high, walking calmly through the door.
Leorio was the complete opposite. His confidence burst and he felt utterly responsible for everything that has happened to them. He felt angry with himself. He was also mad at the fact that she was right.
"She didn't mean that." the Kurta reassured him. However, the man only grunted in response and walked on.
Once everyone was in the room, they noticed that it looked quite different from the previous paths they stopped on their way.
On the walls are all the weapons one can find under the sun, whether it was ancient or modern. In a small corner, however, were two platforms with shackles on them.
Killua understood somewhat what they would be asked to do, and he has already chosen which ones to tie up.
Gon gawked at the two, large, metal doors that stood in their way. In between these doors was a statue of a crying woman. Her upper body was jutting out of the wall and her arms spread out to each of the doors. Then the speaker crackled.
"Welcome to the final step of the Path of Majority. Both of these doors lead to the exit. The door on the left will take you to the exit in approximately 3 minutes but only allows three people to pass. The remaining two shall be locked up on the platforms to your immediate left. The door on the right allows all five of you to pass, however it requires a minimum of 45 hours to complete. Press X for the shorter path, O for the longer path. Good luck."
His words left them all stunned. The time on their watches read 1:09:56.
"I'm saying this now, I'm choosing X but I have no intention of staying behind." Leorio broke the silence, grabbing one weapon from the wall behind him.
"I agree with Leorio, but the ones that I think should pass will be me, Gon, and Ren. I'm ready to fight for it too." Killua responded, glancing at the two older males coldly.
'This is bad. If Killua fights us, then we're dead.' Kurapika swallowed.
"Let's do it then!" Leorio exclaimed, assuming a fighting stance.
Before any chaos could happen, Renée lodged herself between the two, effectively stopping them. "Let's not get hasty here! There has to be a better way, right Gon?" she said.
All eyes turned to the said boy who looked back at them.
"Yeah. I refuse to leave anyone behind. We've gotten here together, it's only right we finish it together. I'm choosing O." he said determinedly.
"What are you two talking about!? We have less than two hours left. We can't possibly choose the right path!" Killua yelled angrily.
"We'll think of something." Renée reassured him.
"When will that happen? When the phase is over?" he retorted, his claws coming out.
"Calm down old man." she said, standing firmly on the ground, challenging him.
The two glared at each other, neither one backing down.
Then the assassin's claws retracted and he stalked off next to Gon, muttering profanities that sounded like "stupid girl".
Renée turned around and looked pointedly at Leorio. The older man flinched. His resolve crumbled and he flung the weapon on the floor in frustration. "Dammit all!"
Gon stared at the crumbled stone floor and his gears started working. He then turned to the wall between the two doors, and he grinned toothily. "We can make it! Just trust me!" he told the others.
"I assume you have a plan?" Renée asked him, to which the boy nodded.
"We have to press O first!"
The red-head turned towards Kurapika and he smiled at her, nodding slightly. She looked at Killua and the assassin shrugged reluctantly, a silent agreement passing between the two.
Leorio saw how they were all teaming up and sighed. "Fine. We better get there, Gon." he conceded.
5 O's and the door opened.
Gon took two weapons from the wall and handed the other to Renée. "We should hit here. It looks like a soft spot." he said pointing at the wall dividing the two paths.
They started working, taking turns on hacking and hitting at the stone, until it eventually gave out.
00:04:03.
Renée peeked in and saw that the floor was smooth and that it sloped downwards. "Hey guys, I think it's a-!"
She couldn't finish her sentence as she felt a strong force hit her back and the next thing she felt was the floor on her chest and the cold wind hitting her face. Realizing that she was pushed down the slide, Renée finally screamed.
Gon and Killua laughed behind her.
"Hey dunce! Ladies first!" the white-haired boy called out.
"I'm gonna kill you, old man!"
"I'm in my teens just like you guys!" Leorio responded suddenly causing fits of laughter to erupt from the other four.
END OF 16.
A/N: I know it isn't much. I just really wanted it out there. Thank you guys for putting up with me! Next stop, Zevil Island!