Chapter 01 — Some Nights are Serendipitous

"Sucks for you, this year I'll pass, and it'll be just me," he said.

Emotions manifest into physical reality at times and right then, fear was caught in my throat as I watched this boy obliterate the competition. One blink and three down, two blinks and eight more were gone. Who was this? He moved with machinelike grace — efficient and inhumane. And yet he didn't kill a single hunter wannabe. My fright overshadowed the awe I was experiencing and in the heat of the moment, a very important decision was made. I folded up the numbered token I was assigned plus the five others I'd collected and swallowed them. Perched on the metal beams floating close to the ceiling, above it all, I prayed this wouldn't have consequences I couldn't deal with and I grew increasingly anxious with every man more down. Could I manage to get passed him? I had five…More realistically, could I manage to get to the door, just the door, in time?

Blink. He was right here — oh my God —!

The world went spinning and I was fifty feet from where I once stood. That is to say, I was on the floor and leering over me was the boy, mouthing something…

"— cough it up, girlie," he said, a bag of numbers already hanging behind his bag like a sack of potatoes.

Of course, I couldn't think of anything better to say other than mouth my thoughts earlier, "…What a skinny legend,"

His eyebrows furrowed and he clicked his tongue, sensing he was intolerant to nonsense I continued, "I can't sorry…I didn't really think this through…," I started saying, "Um…look, I don't really like getting hurt and it'd be real sweet of you, and I get you don't have to listen to me, but just uh — to not dissect me for my badges. I'll volunteer to help you collect your tokens from all these guys…" I finished, looking towards the fallen en masse that lay near lifeless around us.

If there was one thing I could do, it was act. He seemed to care for passing the hunter exam only. I just needed to make sure I wasn't an obstacle.

He looked skeptical but shrugged and I followed him, not sure as to whether I should show him my back within the next hour or so of this tedious labour. I picked up a bag of one of our — my — since clearly no one here was on this boy's level — competitors and shook out its contents. Pointing to it, I mouthed, "To collect" and was on my way. I steered clear of the door, wanting to avoid his attention. Suspicious in nature or not. He followed after me.

"I'm Milena, what's your name?"

He didn't answer. But he had questions of his own.

Milena was trustworthy and honest; relentlessly optimistic and cautious, all the while. She was a little rash and wore her heart on her sleeve. Milena came from a relatively sheltered and religious upbringing in a rural community.

I hadn't been Milena in a very long time.

But she got me through the next forty minutes of small talk and casual prodding of her background. All the while I wondered how the e-boy had managed to escape the digital realm. And how to transform this farce into a success. There was a lot riding on this one exam, and while I'd surely try again and again each year until I succeeded, I knew that my family was depending on me.

The time came, as it inevitably would, to reconvene with all 2093 tokens minus 39, 43, 330, 343, 543, 567 and 1219. I hoped with all my heart this is what this boy wanted to hear,

"You're not going to ask about my tokens?" I asked, then holding my breath.

He looked over his shoulder and half shrugged, "Stay out here and you should be fine," and when the door shut behind him, I began to grind my teeth. To pass the first phase, we needed five badges and we needed to come see the proctor within the two hour limit. There was an hour and a half left and this boy was sticking to his story of wanting to pass all by himself.

Geez, what a big boy. All by himself. What was next?

"Look, mom! No hands," I muttered and then took a step back and sighed. Airing out my frustrations wouldn't help me anymore than they already had. Now, forty-seven minutes left and I was convinced that if I opened that door something would happen. And something I wouldn't like. So, what was it going to be?

Blink.

And the world returned to me again. The screen I'd been staring out all the while in my dreaming came back into focus with the image of the boy now young man staring right back at me. His name is on my lips for the first time with a face in mind,

"Killua," I whisper. Such a frosty combination of fluffy white hair and icy, cat-like eyes.

The last I'd seen him; he was with a green haired friend. They'd looked closer than lovers in the city of Yorknew. The last I'd heard of him was that Killua Zoldyck had played a part in subduing the chimera ant attack. Matching the face to the name brought on new perspectives and mixed feelings. Who knew that all it would've taken was a passing Hunter Search in my hotel?

I couldn't help my smiling. Wow. All these years and now I knew that I had been way in over my head during that Hunter Exam and for a good reason. The runaway Zoldyck was an incredibly skilled and infamous hunter. Now consolidating that otherworldly image with the boy I'd met earlier on in life was difficult. It made so much sense now. The skill, the finesse and the sheer experience that I'd seen that day was nothing like I'd ever witnessed. But I could not believe that I'd been so casually annoyed with him at our first encounter. It brought me shivers realizing exactly how out of my league this blue-eyed hunter was. How foolish had I been? How out of touch had I seemed to everyone in the room?

My only source of comfort was that I'd been sixteen. That and soon a glass of red wine because I needed a drink now. I threw my clothes onto the bed and emerged from a shower clean and in the half hour I was ready to go out on a night in the town. A strapped lavender maxi with heels and a light grey trench coat wrapped around me I took one last look in the mirror before leaving the hotel room and calling my dear friend Monti.

The air had a pleasant chill to it and the bustle of the crowd made me happy. Reaching our meeting place, I reached for my phone but spotted her before I could even glance at the time.

"Monti! Long time no see!"

"You're talking," she starts, "How long have you been in town for? You're always so busy with that hunter work of yours…"

The mousy blonde pouted at me, dressed in plunging grey blouse tucked into ankle cut, washed jeans.

"What can I say? I don't have anything better to do and I'm only just out of debt to finally enjoy all the privileges people like me have," I winked at her as she made a pinched face, "I'm here though," I finished with arms open.

With a hug she tells me, "Took you long enough, it's been like seven whole months,"

"I was beginning to think I'd never hear from you again Sasha,"

I frowned into her hair, "I would never, Monti, ever think to do that to you,"

She smiles at me, "I know, I know… We all just get some type of way when we miss those we love,"

"Of course,"

And with that our evening began. Drinks in hand we were laughing hysterically at the counter,

"No!" she nearly yells, "Tell me he didn't — I mean how could he admit to something so embarrassing?"

I look at her, "You know, I wish I could take you sometimes…I wouldn't have to hear all this nonsense by myself,"

"Sometimes I wish I could travel as often as you did, drop my work here and go with you like old times…it's just not realistic Sasha. There's too much paperwork for someone like me, I couldn't leave Marcus behind, and surely, even if I took him…he needs this place. He needs somewhere to feel like home, some stability,"

I sighed, the mood slightly depressed and we look at each other for a bit while she fiddles with her drink, "I didn't mean to bring up memories that haven't aged well…Sasha, I'm really grateful that you —,"

"Monti, I'm sorry, I really, really need to pee," I interrupt while getting up, "And I am so not sober enough for a conversation like this. You are always, and I mean always, welcome to hobble into a suitcase to come with me. And if you need me to stay, there's nothing stopping me now. Just say the word,"

She smiled. Coordination took some concentration but honestly, as a hunter it was difficult to ever be debilitatingly drunk at any moment, especially given my years as a blacklist hunter. My face was comfortably numb and staring into the mirror in the drunken stupor I was in, it was no wonder I made the decision I made.

I couldn't get those blue eyes out of my head. The soft, white hair. All like a beautiful cat.

And like that it was my own. My chestnut tresses turned pale as the moon and my obsidian eyes turned as blue blue blue as I'd seen before in pixels. I meowed to myself in the mirror and giggled. Waltzing out of the washroom and coming back over to the bar Monti gasped, "Sasha! Gorgeous! My beauty! My lovely, lovely friend!"

She had two shots in the moments I'd been gone, and I could see the bartender fixing her a nice, strong mojito.

"I'll have the same,"

"Gin or vodka?"

I wrinkled my nose, "Gin, thank you," a pause, "And actually two more shots of tequila please, and in ten can you bring me another two?"

I was going to get hammered. The interview wouldn't be until tomorrow evening — I could let loose for the time being.

"Oh my gosh, Monti, you wouldn't believe what's going on in my work, it's insane,"

"Ep — explain,"

"So…you know how I've been working on that career swap and well, what I didn't tell you was that I was adopted,"

"Excuse me?"

"Not really, so…like, I was taken under the wing of Soma, a lost hunter with two stars to his name,"

Monti gasps, "No,"

"Yes!"

"How? Your side project?" the blond squeals in anticipation.

"Exactly! And get this, he referred a past client to me!"

"How could you not tell me?" she near shrieks,

"I am telling you,"

"You need to tell me these things, no, no, no, this is isn't it Sasha, I might not even remember this tomorrow morning! We're meeting over coffee as soon as you possibly can and that is it!"

"Deal, deal, I have time," I laugh, "Now c'mon, let's get out of the nice taxi driver's cab,"

"It's no problem, it was an honour to drive you and your friend, hunter," the man in uniform responded,

When I reach for my wallet, he continues with arms waving wildly to say something, but I smile and interrupt, "Just scan my card, sir, it's of no issue to me what the association will think of me taking a cab in Yorknew,"

With the fuss over, I led my drunk blondie to her front doorstep and fumbled with her keys. The night was still young, I remarked, as I led her to the bed turning on and off lights as I went with her. Monti had cleaned up, this was a new place and I was happy she was actually keeping her job this time, it seemed. Three years younger than me and so much trouble. Trouble enough for her and I.

"Candles, I always have candles before I sleep," she told me as I helped her lay in bed, tumbling with her.

"Don't worry about it, I got it," I rolled off to the bedside table and went to strike the match. The fire was so sudden to my slowed perception that I dropped the matchstick. I groaned, putting out my dress. I wouldn't be wearing it anymore now that it'd been singed like this. With two burnt out matches in hand and a lit candle I sat still until the scent of eucalyptus wafted through the air and she'd fallen asleep. We'd have to talk about this fire hazard later but for now, I simply blew the candle out. I sighed and ran a hand through the snow-like tresses and quickly braided it loosely before leaving a night light on and kissing her quickly on the cheek. Careful to not trip the alarm system I left through the window and leaped down into the alley behind the townhouses to put my heels back on.

I stumbled and my hope of having not been seen shrivelled when I heard a teasing voice from above, "Careful Auntie, wouldn't want to break a nail would you?"

Looking up to see Marcus yawning, hazel hair longer than I'd last seen it and in dire need of a haircut, I was torn between catching up and scolding him for staying up, "Isn't it passed your bedtime Marcus?" Growing boys need their sleep.

"You're not my Mom," he said casually and ducked down. When he emerged, he simply threw a bag down, "Catch, Sash,"

Unwrapped, I found slippers, "Thank you,"

"Good night. Stop by tomorrow, won't you?"

"I will,"

Waving and then walking out into the main street I felt myself sober up a little and I breathed in deeply.

There was a young man with spiky green hair looking at me.

Familiar looking for a reason, I immediately spotted who he was with and instantly understood them to be lovers, still.

"Look," the brown eyed one said, all the while making eye contact with me, "Killua! She has the same hair and eyes! You two could be related!"

I paled, me? Related to a Zoldyck? The snow-haired one turned to stare at me and was dragged towards me as the more innocent-appearing of the two stalked over to me, waving. Oh fuck.

"Hi! I couldn't help but notice your hair! It's not very often I see a combination of colours so similar to my friend's," he tells me,

'Friend' right.

This was a mistake, a drunk, stupid mistake. Why had I chosen to opt for these characteristics? I rubbed an eye with my hand carelessly, only comforted by the fact that I hadn't put on eye makeup earlier. My only saving grace. I fell into old habits.

"Hi, that's fine…My name's Milena, and I can say the same — white hair isn't all too common," I started,

"Right, Killua?" he said, turning to the young Zoldyck, "Oh! And my name's Gon! We're hunters,"

Ah, so they're both hunters. What a power couple.

"An interesting occupation, to say the least, I'm sure you two have made a lot of exciting memories, I wish I could travel that much," It was a bland response, but it was all I could get out. I plunged deeper into old habits, feeling a strong pull towards adopting dirty blonde hair and amber eyes. Milena's strong attachment towards her corporal form would be demonstrated imminently as nen began to shift around me involuntarily and I was immediately alarmed. Any release of nen would certainly catch the attention of any hunter worth their weight in salt. I physically stumbled and Gon caught my arm, "Ah sorry," I try to respond presently but I sound absentminded, distracted by the task of refusing to shift forms. Before I can get another word out Killua removes Gon's hand from mine and I stumble again.

Hunters don't appreciate being deceived. Most people don't but I only feared the repercussions of a hunter and a select additional. It didn't help that there was a reason I put off so many hunters I met. I was, in ways, a creature who thrived off of deception. Looking down I realize it was my right heel that had snapped. Non-hunter wear wasn't conducive to the exciting movements of roof hopping, I supposed. Not that I realized how much of a mess I was at the moment.

Hindsight is 20/20.

"I guess that's the sign for me to retire," I joke, trying not to slur my words and to diffuse the tension simultaneously. I take the heels off and slip on slippers Marcus had gifted me, which had been stashed in my purse. Gon looked at Killua pointedly and muttered, "I have to stay, you know,"

"If it's okay with you," Killua speaks up for the first time, "I can bring you home,"

He's looking at me. That… was incredibly out of left field and centre…what?

"That's alright," I began, and he starts, "— no, it's really no trouble at all. I insist, actually. Gon here has a bleeding heart and I'm no better sometimes." —As, fucking, if— "You look like you might need some help heading back is all, where are you staying?"

"I—"

"Killua is pretty trustworthy, hunter's honour and all. Please, let him take you back,"

No such thing as a hunter's honour.

Did I really look and sound that bad? Maybe I wasn't as fine as I thought. But seriously? Hunter's honour? He was a Zoldyck for Christ's sake and I'd surely stepped on a landmine of paranoia with the stunt I just pulled. I suddenly get a horrible, foreboding shiver and I brush the raised bumps and hairs on my arms to calm down.

"Uh, I'll just take a taxi," I try to say but instead I say "Uh," and Killua takes hold of my arm and says, "Great," leading me away from the crowd in front of the store.

Ohhh, this was dangerous. My anxiety rushed forward and my heart beat loudly in me head. It felt like it was fighting to escape my ribcage.

"The Martian's" I say, stupid stupid stupid, "I'm staying at The Martian's Hotel,"

Channel your inner drunk civilian Sasha. Channel it hard.

"Not too far from here then," he starts casually, "You said you wish you travelled more, aren't you travelling now? What's there in Yorknew for you?"

What are you doing in Yorknew. Typical, an interrogation.

"Visiting a friend, saw her today actually. I'd just dropped her off at her place," I tell him, it has omitted some truth. I noticed he could tell I wasn't honest but not about what.

"Really? Dropping off the friend that you're visiting? Shouldn't it be the other way around?" he jokes, and I shrug,

"Definitely can't hold her liquor as well as I can, that girl,"

"And you can't hold it well, so now I'm really curious what happened tonight,"

"Girl's night, I don't usually drink so much. I'll likely sober up more soon," I say, understanding to some degree that I've spoken too much and he hums in response. It had been the truth.

I startle, nearly tripping over myself and he moves to catch me. His hand is gently on my wrist when he asks,

"Where are you visiting from?"

"Whale Island," A lie. But a safe bet. He's checking my pulse and I shake him off as casually as I can.

"Oh?"

The opposite of a safe bet. Damn. Nen — if I only I could use it to sober up quickly. I can but…I don't know what trouble I'll get into.

He continues, "I've been there — visited Gon's family, he's actually from there as well. Do you know of Mito?"

No? Oh, and he can tell I haven't now, it shows on my face. He simply stares. This is a chance to recover.

"Sorry, you're just a stranger and it didn't feel comfortable to share. I've been to Whale Island before, to visit as well. Can't say I remember meeting a Mito," A truth. A whole one too. What success.

"What were you there for?"

"Work," Another truth.

He raised his eyebrows, not that I was looking at him to see it happen, "What work could that possibly be?" he asks just as we reach the front of the hotel.

"Nothing as interesting as being a hunter, I'm afraid. I was establishing some business relations for a client. Wasn't necessary but boy it was worth the trip. The island is beautiful and I managed to evade paperwork for a couple more days,"

Also true. But misleading. It made me smile. I'm sure he didn't like the smile but I couldn't care less at the moment. I was home free, wasn't I?

"I'll step in for a bit — hope you don't mind. I'll warm up some,"

A lie. Bull. Shit. Hunters like this guy don't get cold. And certainly his kind of personality would rarely admit to feeling a chill.

"Not at all, the lounge is public after all. But if you don't mind, I'll be heading up,"

"Not at all," he mirrors and wishes me a good night. It's only when I get to the door that I realize while fumbling with my purse that my keycard is gone, and I rush downstairs. I don't misplace my possessions. That infuriating —! Immediately I am molding nen to release the toxins from my body. Full judgement returning to me I ran to the emergency stairwell. Skipping down the stairs as it suited me, it all ran through me. The triviality of the conversation — how nice he had seemed had been unreal and a stark contrast to the boy I remember. Successful hunters like him were the paranoid type and it must be through the roof given that he's a Zoldyck too. Stupid, stupid, stupid. He'd been prodding me with nen the whole time! Shivers? Being startled? I rarely startled and the sensations I remember experiencing where classic — how did I not pick up on it? He isn't a specialist to have some sort of ability — I saw clear as mud that day he used electricity. A transmuter. Fickle freaking transmuters. Dumb transmuters. Dumb old me. Being drunk never did me any favours, I don't know why I thought it'd have helped me now.

My breathe even, I step into the lounge and head to the front desk stating calmly that I'd misplaced my key card.

"Excuse me, I might be able to help," a familiar voice says from behind me. It has a certain lilt to it that I don't appreciate, "You see, I found a key card in the common area and it might be yours Milena. I stuck around in case you came back looking. I figured I'd hand it to you personally, but you were already here when I noticed you,"

A lie. More bullshit. Such bullshit. The front desk lady eats it up and asks for the card, "I can scan and check which room it belongs to, thank you. What room were you staying in Miss?"

Hunters like him could ruin my career if I gave him a reason to dislike me. I was supposed to fly under his radar and how did this even happen? Why did I respond to his friend? Why hadn't I rejected the offer to walk me back?

"Room 99,"

He seemed smug, waiting for checkmate. He hadn't believed me from the start. Opted to guess everything I said was a lie and now he wanted to catch me in the cobweb of it all. What was his deal? Even if I was a suspicious character, they had approached me first. This vigilante nonsense was irritating and incredibly hypocritical given his background.

"Hmm, this card does belong to that room, but the person who's staying here doesn't go by —"

I will never drink again, "Ah that's my friend. She paid and checked into the hotel room for me since I ended up coming later than anticipated but we didn't want it to be cancelled,"

She seemed annoyed with me, seemingly not believing my story. Just check my id lady. Check it. I felt Killua's stare from beside me.

"Well, that's unfortunate. Our hotel policy states I'm going to need the id of the guest in order to issue a keycard,"

"Ah well…" I pause. I will never, ever drink again, "My friend and I sort of went out tonight and had too much fun. She won't be awake for a long time. But actually," I pause again, pretending to think, "You know, I checked in two or so days ago just fine. I think she used my id and her card and whoever input the information made a mistake. Would you mind checking that?"

"Certainly," the lady tells me and pauses after a couple clicks, "I'm sorry, you don't seem to match the photo,"

I stilled. My hair. My eyes. My name. Of course. The world slowed and I felt the atmosphere suffocate me. Killua wasn't doing anything — this was all in my head. I felt caught and I hated it. Caught in my lies. I deflated.

"George, the man who checked me in later was George. Please bring him," I hear myself saying and I understand what I'm implying with the request.

She looks unsure but nods and comes back with the concierge I requested, "Sasha's name is on file. Am I allowed to stay the next couple nights still? I know I checked in with you,"

Five foot nine and a greying, old sweetheart, George was the designated hunter concierge and he'd worked with me before. He was incredibly intuitive and when he picked up on the simple mix of words he immediately nodded.

"Of course, ma'am, I'd recognize you anywhere, Sasha's beloved guest, I'm terribly sorry for the inconvenience," he starts, then turning to the woman at the desk gesturing with his hands the key cards, "May I?"

Once she handed it over, George continued, "Follow me Miss, the elevator for our guests is malfunctioning at the moment,"

I nodded, grateful to George for not the first time and turn to Killua, thanking him as well for finding the original card. Dumb liar, card-stealing thief.

"The walk back too — it was very sweet of you to offer. I feel much better now. I'm sure I would've forgotten my way somehow and I really appreciate it," Lies. More lies.

"You know, if you're really that grateful you should treat me," he says lightly,

"Ah, of course," I stumble, "Did you have a cafe in mind? We can get coffee — I don't know the city too well," I say without meaning a single word of it at all. I'd ghost this Zoldyck faster than a kernel could pop.

"Don't worry about it," he laughs. But it's fake, it's such a lie, "Yorknew is small and we'll find the time. Serendipity and all that,"

Such a sly smile. Alarm bells were ringing and all I could do was smile back.

"Sounds fantastical. Then, Killua, I'll see you around. Good night," I was leaving this city as soon as I could.

He was already leaving. But as he had turned, he'd lost the smile quickly. His gaze was magnetizing, and I vaguely remarked in my head that meeting his eyes in person was completely different from a screen. I turn away as quickly as I can to walk with George, pretending I wasn't affected.

Arriving in my room I looked in the mirror and breathed out a sigh of relief as my hair and eyes returned to a hazel. I started packing right away. I couldn't stay here anymore. It was just like the last time. The first time. Some variation of intrigue. But just like last time, it wouldn't last long, and I wouldn't be memorable. I was positive.

Positively wrong.

She's longer than I thought she'd be but, oh well ;_;

Sasha's first night in town and she's already in trouble! Now that I think about it, she reminds me of a friend of mine.

I'd love to hear your thoughts so far!

Cheers,

Myrelle