Intermission Arc
Chapter 18: Endless Possibilities
Gon and Killua had already woke from their slumber as soon as they could tell a presence was approaching their door. Even in moments of rest, they are Hunters who knew to always be alert. Yet when Gon checked through the peep hole, seeing the familiar knocker that took him by surprise and answered the door, they did not expect Emma to be there. Nor the request she came to them with.
After regarding her in momentary pause and a curious look at the ball of net she held dangling in her right hand, they allowed her inside their apartment, taking her to the living room. They sat on the brown wooden floor, a black wooden coffee table separating them. Emma sat in front of a couch while the young Hunters settled in front of the wide-screen TV set - the first that Emma has ever seen up close and in person.
Her eyes wandered in quick observance of the apartment. The place felt much warmer here than it did at hers. It was nearly the same, slightly bigger and with more character and additional furniture. A bunk bed against the wall with a dresser beside it, next to the glass slide in doors that led to the back porch and view of the city. Two dark green couches here in the living room, a dining table behind the couch Emma was at, and a gray-blue themed walk in kitchen.
She returns her attention to the boys when Killua spoke up, "So you want us to teach you Nen." He stated rather than questioned, blue eyes attentive to the girl.
Emma nodded, "Yes."
"What brought that up?" Gon asked.
"Did seeing those footages from the Preliminary made you worry?" A follow-up question from Killua. Emma looks down to the coffee table, taking in her thoughts as she considered what to say despite having the time to figure it out during her ride and walk all the way here. Still, she couldn't just spill out everything without taking Gon and Killua's own feelings to consideration.
They have their own priorities for the wish, they very well could choose not to teach her in order to focus on themselves. Agreeing to help each other is one thing, but taking the time at their own expense to help her overcome what would no doubt have the effects to greatly impede her in the future, it would be reasonable to think that they can't just take out a chunk of their time helping her in that area when they need to focus on warming up before the next round begins. Yet even knowing that, she must try anyway.
She resolved with telling them following along her train of thought, the dawning escalation that led her to seeking the assistance from her newly made companions of this competition. "It definitely was a lot to take in. It is a little worrying, but more so that there's a lot I have to catch up. Watching that footage made me realize that this competition will be a lot more than what I originally figured it would be. Some competitors are really strong, fast, big, and everything else that they can do. Like shooting from their fingers, which is really cool."
Gon nodded, agreeing with her beginning point and the finger gun mentioning. He even asked Killua if he could perhaps do something similar as that other green-shaded hair teen did, which Killua said that it seemed possible yet would no doubt be difficult. Gon had to agree with that analysis, and his intrigue of the ability held the image of that aura shooter in his mind.
"I've also been thinking," Emma said, resuming, "that if people that strong are allowed to enter, then there's a chance that there's going to be obstacles that'll either require those abilities to pass it, or do what it can to impede them so to make it more challenging. That might also mean that the Preliminary isn't just a way for us to enter the competition officially, or get an idea of what to expect, but also for the staff who put up that event to gauge our skills and what we're capable of."
She looks back up to them, "And knowing that there's a huge power gap between all of us, if they want this competition to be fair, they would do what they can to make sure we all have a chance at winning, regardless if we're strong or not. That's what those Support Cards were for, to make up the difference, that's what I think anyway."
"Ah... that's a really good point," said Gon, having not realized it to that depth. Killua found Emma's input to be a dawning reveal. It made sense really. The cards weren't just an addition to make the competition more interesting, but also for those who aren't as strong as the other guy.
If one person could move at the speed of light, and the other person was a Shogun Champion who has never ran a day in his life, and both were put on a race track as part of this competition that seems likely to give any random event, naturally the winner would go to the one who is the fastest runner. The power gap would not only be extreme, but the unfairness is stemmed that the event would favor the fastest, not the smartest and strongest. The same goes for the fastest runner, who might be a terrible Shogun player, is put in a Shogun match against the champion.
Competitors wouldn't be given the choice to pick any event to their liking either, because they might just pick the event that they would easily succeed at, but if they aren't going to be given a choice, how are they expected to win in a round that favors only one type of participants that promises the win of a certain skill or talent, and no one else's?
Even if the individual competitor was in a supposed favorable event, it would mean nothing if there are opponents that could overwhelm them with things like reading minds, immunity against any wounds, have an ability that which only those with the same ability can see it, and etc. The balance system would be like a match between a master martial artist and a transparent ghost who couldn't be touch. Or to put it basic terms, a person without any powers against someone who has every power. How can any round be made sure that it's anybody's game?
"If I could find and rely more on these Support Cards, I can catch up better with those who have special powers," Emma stated, "If not, I would still try to figure out a way to stay ahead."
She raised her index finger in a following point, "There'll also probably be missions that won't be so easy to do even if the person is strong. If this is supposed to be a competition where people can use whatever skill or ability they have to win, then it's not about who's the strongest or the smartest. Even if I can accurately predict what might happen, plan ahead, and use whatever I have on me at my own disposal, it's not always going to be guaranteed."
Many times at her suffering for her to come to this understanding, of losses that ended with severe consequences, and lives being taken. She can't afford to make such a loss here, not especially if her new friends may need her for when it matters, and if she ended up not doing or having enough of what would have been vital in that moment, then neither of them will be able to win the wish.
The children from her world that she couldn't help or save no matter what she tried, and how much. Norman, the children she thought to have saved in Goldy Pond only to die by Lewis's hand. If the possibility is presentable that she could actually make a difference, then she wants to take it.
When no safe place exist for her family to flee to in her world, leading only the obvious solution that they must change the world itself for them to live in, and if there was a quicker way to get there, then she'll need something more to support her.
"And that's why you want the opportunity to make up that difference yourself," Killua assessed. Another nod from Emma.
"I'd also want to help you guys as much as I can," she continued softly, "You guys are really strong. I want to be able to do something so that I won't slow either of you down."
"You wouldn't slow us down," Gon reassured kindly and with confidence. Killua however, saw Emma's point and the potential merit of it.
"Mm. But it would help if you could run as fast as we do," crossing his ankles, he grasped them before adding, "I get where you're coming from, but I'm going to be blunt with you. While Gon and I know how to use Nen, we're still in training, and you would probably want to learn Nen as fast as possible, wouldn't you? Especially before the next round begins."
"Well, yes, that would be good, but I wouldn't want to push you guys," Emma alleviated, quickly waving her hands, "I can expect that it wouldn't be immediate. Just knowing enough would probably help a lot, but if it'll take too much time from you guys..."
"Well here's the thing," Killua interjects, claiming with a lazily given finger, "the way we learned Nen was actually a huge jump over how other people learned Nen in our world. We basically took the short cut. But the way to get there means using a dangerous method, one that could have killed us if we didn't act right away. If you want to learn Nen the safe way though, from what our teacher Wing told us, it'll probably take you about six months."
The time stamp shocked Emma, "That really is long... Wait, if you guys took a short cut, then how long did it take you guys to learn Nen?"
"We've been training our Nen for about two years now." At her second jump, Killua scratches his head, closing his eyes and sighing, "Guess I should elaborate. Learning to use Nen in a way that you can have your own Hatsu, and all the steps around and before that, it took us a lot of time. And by learning how to use Nen, you first have to unlock it. That's the process that's going to take you six months to do, unlocking your Nen."
"Just to get started?!" Emma shouted in astound.
"It's the safest and normal way. If it turns out that you're right with your theory, which I can actually see it to be true, then the chances of you surviving to the finals are about fifty percent. The same as us if we don't use Nen, but if we do, then our chances are up by about sixty percent or so," his words were like sharp razors, and there was no use of deflecting them even if Emma wanted to.
"I see..." Emma said, keeping an inner calm holding of herself, "But if the starting process takes about six months, and you guys took a short cut, how long did it took you guys to unlock your Nen?"
"For us, it took us one day."
The little girl physically stumbled in place and nearly hit the coffee table with her head. "A day?!" How does a six-month process of unlocking Nen be shortened to only a single day?!
"Yeah, a few minutes actually, but how we got it unlocked is dangerous. Our Nen teacher at the time told us as much," Killua then explains as Gon heeds his friend leading the conversation.
"Unlocking Nen at that time span would take forcing your aura to burst free, and to do that, the way Wing-san had done it was by pushing our aura out with his. What came out was something that looked like spazzed out flames, and if we didn't learn how to control it fast, we would have passed out and die because the aura that was basically our life was spilling out so much."
The little girl looked horrified at the idea of her friends undergoing such a terribly risky method. Killua then includes, "After that, there's several more steps in learning how to use your Nen, to keep it under control while you're sleeping, wearing it over your body as your armor but not for too long or else that'll drain your energy, and a few other drawbacks you'll have to work hard to overcome. All that, is what the six months of process is for, and that's not even getting into the risks of using the method to unlock your Nen instantly. Wing-san told us that for anyone who isn't an expert Nen user to use that method of unlocking someone's aura, if even the slightest mistake is made, they could end up killing the person."
She fought the urge to swallow down the unease, her tongue tasting dry as she heard this potentially fatal risk of an instant unveiling of Nen, though she remained keeping a calm demeanor, she didn't attempt to hide the disturbance her face shows as she hears this.
Yet, strangely enough, it wasn't the fact that she could die that was disturbing her, but the discontent of hearing the unlikeliness of her learning Nen in the most efficient and convenient matter. She could handle difficulty, but for it to take months to start and reach a point Gon and Killua has, while this competition could last about a year, then it simply wouldn't be practical. At that point, she'll have to drop it entirely.
"But I'm sure we can find a way to help you."
Gon's sudden and happy declare took Killua for a loop as the ex-assassin abruptly looked to his best friend with wide deep aqua eyes. "In fact, we can still take the fastest way to unlock your Nen if you really want to."
Killua gawked while Emma blinked, surprised. "Really?" She asked.
The Hunter nodded, "Sure! We might need to practice a lot but-"
A sudden grab by pale fingers that tugged harshly the ear of Gon and causing a drop of his sincere expression to an aghast pain, a shout from the young green shade hair Hunter, "Ow Ow Ow!"
"Wait there," Killua said to Emma, facing away and moving towards the bathroom, "I'm going to talk to Gon alone for a bit."
He pulled Gon to stand by holding his friend's ear, ignoring the loud ouches and grasping his wrist from his friend until both enter the bathroom, and closing the door behind them. Emma watched them with dumbfounded eyes, as she then sits and awaits, leaving her alone with her thoughts.
"They really do kind of remind me of Ray and I," Emma said in idle reminisce. She imagines how Ray would be if he were here, then thought of how he and Killua would instantly dislike each other. They were alike in a few ways that might be too much for either of them to accept warmly. He would also likely call out the absurdity of all this, so it have been sparing for him, though she knew he would not approve of her having come here alone.
Thankfully, she wasn't now. Though she certainly misses her family.
/.\
"-Well why shouldn't we help her? She's helped us in the preliminary, and she even said she'll help us win this competition."
"Gon, neither of us know how to unlock someone's Nen the way Wing did for us. It'll end up killing her if we aren't careful."
"Then we'll practice," Gon simply concluded. "If Wing-san could do it, we could learn how to do it also."
"Except it's probably not going to be that simple," Killua leaned his back against the sink, hands in his pockets of his black pajama shorts. "Who knows how long it'll take for either of us to get it right. Besides, we don't even know if she's capable of knowing Nen at all. She's from a different world after all."
"But Wing-san told us that all living things have aura, and Nen is aura," Gon pointed out, "It wouldn't hurt to try."
Killua glanced aside, "He also warned us about unlocking someone's Nen was so that we wouldn't end up doing the same for anyone else recklessly. You and I aren't masters at Nen yet. We still have a lot more training to do before we should be willing to teach anyone how to be as strong as us."
"But we are professional Hunters," Gon gently argues, a solemn look in his amber eyes. "I know we're still inexperience in a lot of ways, but maybe this is a way for us to get stronger too. Also, she wants to save her family, just as I want to save Kite."
The ex-assassin glances away, saying nothing as Gon resumes, "I don't think she wouldn't understand the risks. She's a lot like us, and we only managed to get this far because of all the people we met who helped us along the way."
Dark blue eyes stares at the wall in a moment of silence before he removed himself from the sink, "...Alright. If you really want to do this, then we got to put together everything we've learned up until now. For one thing, we have to make sure we can unlock her Nen without killing her."
Killua then thoughtfully assessed, "There's only two days until the next round starts. We'll have to split the work if we want her to know enough about Nen. Not only for us to practice how to unlock her Nen fast, she also has to learn all the factors that goes with it once she does actually get it. There probably won't be enough time to teach her how to use it, so for the rest of this Intermission, she'll have to know and understand what Nen is all about, and in the meantime, one of us will have to hone our ability of awakening her Nen before the next event starts."
"Hm..." Gon gives it some thought, "...I think you should be the one to practice. You have a really good precision with your aura, and you would probably learn it faster than I would."
Killua steadily nodded, "You think you can fill her in with everything?"
Gon affirmed with a sound, "I can tell her what Wing and Biscuit told us. All the important stuff first, and then get to the details later."
"It's a good start. At least a way for her to grasp what Nen is about." With their plan agreed, Killua starts for the door. "Then let's get some rest and start in the morning. I can look into those training grounds we've heard about and practice there, while you and Emma can go over the basics here."
Gon nodded before another thought came to him and he asked, "Do you think it'll be better if she sleeps here for the rest of the Intermission?"
Killua's deep aquatic eyes looks to consideration, "Hm. Sure. That might turn out better for us, it saves us time. We still got to train before next round so you guys should go out too. We'll meet back here by the end of the day and check in our progress. I'm going to make sure though that she's really willing to go through with this. Even if we do promise to do all that we can, let's not sugar coat anything."
Gon had to agree, understanding thoroughly. Concluding with that, they exit the bathroom and walked back out to the living room. Emma looked up at their stepping out and returned to their seating. Killua is the first to start, "Okay, so first things first. I want to hear from you that you're ready and willing to take this risk. We can't promise anything except that we're going to try all that we can to unlock your Nen just in time before the next round starts."
She unveiled her surprise at that. "That's what you want, right?" Killua asked her. "To learn it as quick as possible?"
"Ah. Yes. That would be good. I just didn't think it would be that soon. I would have thought it be during next round, if there was any time," Emma answered honestly.
"If you want to be ready for whatever this competition might bring, then it's better you know Nen as soon as possible," Killua explains. "Believe me, we've been in that position of wanting something and needing to beat the deadline right away. It's how we got our Nen in the first place. You won't have your Hatsu right away, that's something you'll have to find on your own. Gon will explain it to you but if this goes as we want it to go, you won't have to worry about that right now."
He stated seriously, "But you need to really think about this and decide now. Neither of us has ever unlocked someone else's Nen before, and it could end badly for you. Worst comes to serve, if any of us aren't prepared for it, there's a definite chance that you'll end up dying from the process. You'll at least go back to your world if that's what'll happen, but then you'll lose your chance at the wish."
Emma's stare held onto Killua with a controlled expression as he added with narrowing eyes, " I'm not trying to scare you or anything, I just want to make sure that you understand the things that could go wrong with this."
"But we'll do everything we can to make sure that doesn't happen," Gon spoke up, his amber eyes held to this promise with conviction. "We'll be careful, and do what we can to help each other stay in this competition."
The orange hair little girl esteemed no dangling fear or doubt in her face, her bright green eyes unwavering as she takes in everything being told, side-effects of a Nen-unlocking gone wrong and etc. Killua observed her calmly worn face as he picked up his knee, settling his arm over it. "Do you still want to try it?"
"I do." No hesitation voiced in her choice, adding with upholding faith to her comrades, "I trust you guys. We haven't known each other long, but I can tell that you guys would do your best. Even if it might be dangerous for me, I'd still want to go for it if it's so that I can help you and my family waiting back home."
Gon smiled widely before looking to Killua. The other boy shared the look, and a nod from his head. "Okay. Starting tomorrow, Gon will tell you what there is to know about Nen, and I'll be out training to open the nodes you have and unlock your aura."
"Nodes?"
"They're what's keeping you from having any free control of your aura," Killua elaborates, raising his index finger in emphasis, "Think of it like a faucet with a stuck handle and no water coming out, but there's a leakage happening from the pipes, that's basically how aura is for everyone. Nen-users and professional Hunters are able to stop the leakage, and also control how much water - their aura, flows. If we can get everything done the day before the next round is announced, force that handle to turn and allow your aura to burst free, then you'll be able to control how it flows just as we do."
"I see..." Emma said in wondrous tone, "I think I can kind of understand. That's pretty cool actually."
Gon nodded eagerly, "You can also stay here at our place, Emma. It'll be a lot simpler if we can get you started learning more about Nen right away. It's pretty dark out there also, and you shouldn't have to make a long trip back to your apartment. Is that alright with you?"
"Oh. Yeah, that makes sense," she nodded, understanding, "That would be better actually."
It also comforted her still prattling heart that gripped onto the unease at the thought of returning to her cold and empty apartment, she felt much more at peace with this arrangement.
"Let's get some sleep. We'll start in the morning," Gon said with a continuing and comforting grin, "We'll do our best to help you, Emma."
Internally elated, Emma returns the smile with her own. "Gon, Killua. Thank you so much," she gently responded, the gratitude visual in her softened expression. Gon nodded happily as Killua shrugs nonchalantly, rubbing the back of his neck.
They lent her their spare pajamas tucked into their dresser, a simple white tank top and green shorts. The couch proved to be comfortable enough for Emma to sleep on, offering extra cushions with a rolled out mattress they pulled out from the closet and a dark blue blanket for her to keep warm with. They bid their goodnights to each other as they prepared for bed, turning off the lights, and only the outside night illuminating the room with faint blue hue.
Emma takes yet another glance at the glass back doors to the bright view of the city alive with rainbow lights as each its own individual stars. Her arms over the couch arm rest that she rested her chin upon, laying on her front against the mattress as she hears the idle quiet bickering between the boys at their bunk beds to her right.
"No way! You lost fair and square," Gon declare in a hush voice at the top bunk of the bed, his head looking over the edge and for Killua lying below him.
"Come on. One more. Best two out of three," Killua negotiated, pointing up at the boy above, "You win, and you keep the top bed for another night."
"Hmm... Okay."
She watches them bump their fist, "Rock, Paper, Scissor - Shoot!" Gon's hand was balled to a fist while Killua's hand showed two of his fingers, and a grin of triumph came from Gon, Killua looking less than amuse by the outcome of their decisive gestures. A game it seemed to be, Emma thought it interesting.
"You would win," Killua muttered, turning over to his side as he remained in his place. A hint of a cheeky chuckle from Gon as the dark haired boy retreats to his bed, turning over to his side as well.
Emma looks to her own hand, balling her hand the same way Gon had then matching Killua's two-finger show before putting her hand back down, resting her cheek against her arm as her smile remained a little longer by the sight of the young Hunters.
It then faded into a deep-pondering sullen, resolute taking over her slow slumber-needing eyes, to which closes after another moment of staring at the view in front of her, letting her mind relax and hearing the faint ticking of a clock hung upon the wall, and the soft snoring of her companions who allowed her their generosity, and hopes to repay back in full.
/.\
The next day came, the beginning day of the Intermission, and first morning witnessed by the new occupants of the Wired - survivors of the Preliminary.
From another place, at another apartment, a competitor of wolfish like hair, white as snow and tinted with silver, sat up from his futon upon the floor beside the glass doors that lead to the back porch and view of the forest and distant city. A low howling yawn as his fingers scratches to the top of his head, a slight grin creaking from the lower half of his face. "Damn that was a good sleep. Been a while since I had a bed."
He rises from the futon. His apartment a simple place of even simpler design, with light wooden floor of thin rectangular, it was essentially a floor a dojo would have. White concrete walls that were smooth, and hardly any much electronics apart from a round clock on the wall and lamps on desks.
The furniture modern and nothing extravagant, just a small square table with a single chair near the wall. A kitchen only a couple of feet away from him. There is enough space for him to do warm ups, which he did so, sandy white baggy pants and a shirtless form that shows the definition of his hard years of training, a lean muscle physique fitting for a fighter that he is.
The discoloration on his stomach was gone, proving that whatever happened last night was related to that punch he took from that boy. He hovered his hand over the area in an idle glance before looking to his fingers, flexing them before closing them to a clench of his hand.
Enforcing his will by a slight, the white ghostly glow reappears, enveloping his arm. He'll have to find that boy - Gon, to explain whatever this is. While it certainly has a method to strengthen him, he'll have to use it sparingly as it takes a heap of his stamina. Willfully, he pulls the aura back in and started to stretch his limbs.
Working his body with a few warms ups, he does a single handed push up at the center of the room, wakening his senses even further and by the end of the one hundredth time of push ups, only a single drop of his sweat was dripped from his chin. One finishing, he lowers himself and landed foot first and stands back upright.
He craned his neck until the sound of a pop, finding and re-wearing his black tight shirt, then closed his eyes, giving out a little short sigh that sounded like a whistle, "Whew... Alright."
His gilded irises peers through the glass doors, the city in his instant view as he said purposeful, "Time to go commit evil."
With the end of the Preliminary round, the hunt resumes for the hunter of heroes. He exits his apartment, sliding open the glass doors aside, and stepping out onto the back porch where he then hop from the edge of the barrier fence, and dropped down five stories below.
He landed with perfect ease without a complaint to his legs that carried his recovered body, and continued on, taking the sidewalk and towards the city of the Wired.
/.\
In the apartment where Gon and Killua resides, Emma awoke just as the pair of Hunters she is roomed with, rubbing her eyes and pushing herself off from the couch. She cupped her cheeks and lightly slapped them to invigorate herself and rid the need for longer slumber than the five hours she achieved tonight, which has been the first proper enough rest she had in a while, and proceed to roll up the mattress while the boys made their bed.
"Hey Emma, do you want to go out for breakfast?" Gon offered to the girl as he made his top bunk bed, looking over to her by the couch from the top bunker. "We don't have any food here. I was also thinking about going shopping for some new clothes for us. I can tell you about Nen in the meantime."
Emma accepted with a pleasant voice, hugging the rolled up mattress in carry as she walks for the closet, "Sure. I saw some clothing stores in the city. We can go there, or maybe check around here and see if there's any nearby."
Killua hummed, sitting at the edge of his bed, "Not a bad idea. I'm going to see if I can find one of those training grounds we've heard about."
"Oh! I think there's this one place I heard, it's close to where we came from that section of the city," Emma said, opening the closet door and setting mattress down, against the wall. "It's through... Cicadas Cry Park," she remembers, "passed by Red Moon Library, and there's supposed to be a large building that looks like an arena. That's supposedly one of the training areas in the city."
"Where did you hear that?" Killua asked. Did officer Jenny gave her that knowledge?
Closing the door, Emma turned with a feeling of being caught red-handed. "Oh, I..." her hand rubs the back of her head frazzled with orange strands, "I actually went back out to the city last night, by myself. I met a nice man who told me a lot about the few places of the Wired."
"Why did you go back?" Gon asked, climbing down from the top bunker, Killua paying attention as well.
"I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't go back to sleep. I started wondering about what the human world would be like and if the Wired was anything like it, so I figured I could see some of it a little more, just to get an idea of what to expect if my family ever comes across cities."
"Was there a lot that you saw?" Another asking from Gon as he looked with direct interest.
"There was so much. I didn't even know where to start until I met that nice man. He had blonde hair that goes up like spikes," Emma exemplifies by bringing her fingers over her head and spreading somewhat them apart, pointing each finger up.
"He also had a red long coat," she added, "like that guy we met at the food court, but he was really friendly. He even helped me find a place to restock ammunition and a shooting range and showed me really cool tricks. After that, we explored a little bit around that block, all the stores we've seen from the outside. He told me a lot about the restaurants and other places I asked him about the Wired."
Her eyes lighted with recollection, "Oh! By the way, I met Garou again. He's doing much better now, and his arm fixed like it was never broken."
"Huh," was Killua's response, leaning against the bed pole frame, though a hint of low enthusiasm came at the mention of the wolfish fighter. "Well, it's a good start as any. You should be careful going by yourself in a city next time though, especially at night."
"Right," Emma understood, nodding. "I should have probably thought about that a little more." Though she couldn't feel relax at the apartment she had been assigned to. Nice as it was, she just couldn't find herself comfortable at that place at all.
"Alright, Cicadas Cry Park and Red Moon Library. I'll go ahead and check it out. These clothes should be good enough to wear while going out."
"Do you want to come with us? We can stop by and drop you off the training grounds later if you need to wear something else," Emma offered, but Killua gently shook his head.
"Nah. I'll be alright with what I have," he glances down to his black tank top and dark blue shorts before looking back at her and Gon, "We should make the most with what we can separately. Just make sure you two don't get too distracted. We only have two days until the Intermission is over. Let's make every second count."
Frankly, it was he who was at risk here in practicing how to unlock Emma's Nen without killing her, while Gon only need to explain Nen to Emma so that she can be prepared how to deal with it once Killua does succeed in doing it. It shouldn't be too much of a problem for Gon to only tell what was important to know about Nen, he and Emma practically share a similar wavelength so they should be able to understand each other.
Emma eagerly nodded, "I don't know how it works but don't strain yourself, okay? I'm sure I can make it through the next round just fine even without knowing Nen. But, thank you for doing this."
With a slight smile, Killua reassures them both, "Yeah. We'll see how this goes."
Putting on their shoes and taking along their backpacks, they left their apartment, a trip to the elevator that takes them down to the first floor, and walked out under the brightness of this early day, the blue gridded sky and it's distorted white fluffy clouds greeting them.
"I'll see you guys later then." A wave of goodbye until their next meeting from Killua, Gon and Emma bid the same gesture.
"Good luck, Killua!" Gon wished him well. The ex-assassin nodded, sounding his assurance once more, and was watched as he starts for a path to the nearest train car stop. They continuously waved at his walk until he was further down the path, where he was a small figure in their sight, and they regard each other.
"Are you ready?" Gon asked with a grin.
Emma nodded firmly with anticipation. "I am. Let's do this!"
/.\
Emma and Gon walked down a path around the apartment complex, following down pavement stairs and viewing a few morning outers at their backyards. Blue birds chirping from the trees they pass by, shadowed under its given shade and rustling leaves. Emma regarded the calm scene with warmed longing to the sort of place she and her family would like to live among, once they escape the Demon World.
"So Killua and I told you the basic of Nen." She turned her head to Gon when he spoke, looking at her with a warm smile, "It'll probably be a lot to take in. Feel free to stop and ask me anything, okay?"
"Right... So from what you guys told me. Nen is based from a person's life force, which is basically like a person's soul? And they can make it into their armor and weapon."
Gon affirmed with a nodding head, "That's a simple way of explaining it. It might be a little hard to tell everything about Nen, so I'll just talk about the important parts.
They walked for a few miles as Gon began explaining Nen in more depth, during their walk, Emma learned that Nen has four major principles she will have to know how to perform foremost; Ten, Zetsu, Ren, and Hatsu.
Each principle, state of aura, convey different effects, Ten is to keep the aura from flowing out, Zetsu stops the flow of aura completely - suppressing one's presence , Ren amplifies aura and the strength of the user, and Hatsu is the projection of concentrated aura to carry out a certain task.
A certain mental fortitude as well as emotional is essential to keep the flow of one's aura under control, or else the Nen-user, especially the inexperience ones, would face exhaustion, exertion, and in worst case, the lack of control of one's aura will lead to death.
"So using Ten keeps the aura flowing out," Emma comprehends with a thoughtful frown, "And as a result, you can live longer and your body would be in good physical condition. Does that mean you can live as a kid for a long time? Would you be able to stop growing up altogether?"
"Hmm..." Gon looks up to the sky in thought, "Maybe? I wouldn't mind being a little taller. There was one Nen-user we met who looked about our age, but she was actually an older person. I think that's different from aging slower though, or at least that's what she told us, but I don't think you can stop aging at all, only slow it down."
His amber eyes returns to her and he raises an index finger, "Once we unlock your aura, you'll be able to see any aura, even ours. As soon as it opens though, it'll be bursting, so the first step you got to do when is to calm it down, get it under control. It won't be hard, Killua and I managed to do it pretty easy and quick."
"So I'll be learning how to use Ten as my first lesson," Emma comprehended.
Gon nodded, "After Ten, we'll teach you Zetsu, then Ren, and then Hatsu. There'll be more steps you'll get to know about along the way, and use your Nen in a lot more ways once you get the hang of it."
"Zetsu hides your presence, and Ren makes you stronger..." Emma takes a mental note, grabbing her chin thoughtfully before looking back to Gon, "If Zetsu suppresses the aura, using Ren at the same time would be impossible, wouldn't it?"
"Mm... well yeah," Gon started, his face a little scrunched with thought. "If you try to use Zetsu and Ren at the same time, it probably wouldn't work. Zetsu stops your aura from flowing, and leave you exposed to anyone's attack without any kind of armor protecting you, while also being more sensitive to others aura. Keeping it hiding inside you, even people who can see aura wouldn't be able to notice you."
He paused briefly, memory resurfacing from the most acute people he's confronted with, including Garou, "Usually anyway. There might be someone who can still tell if someone else is hiding nearby, even if the person is hiding their aura really good. Ren on the other hand is a burst of energy, and you wouldn't be able to hide that. It's like thinking Zetsu as silent, and Ren the loudest. Also, being in Zetsu means you can't access your aura at all, so you wouldn't be able to use any Nen-based attacks. Except..."
He stated, affirming with a point of his finger, "When you use Ten, Ren, Zetsu, and Hatsu at the same time, but that's when you have to include another state - an advanced stage of Ren called Gyo. You can combine some Nen principles or strengthen them to make a really strong offense or defense Nen move."
"Really? How does that work? And if Ren is loudest and Zetsu is silent, then from what I understand, that would make Ten the calmest. If you can combine some, how doesn't it contradict? To use something that's calm, silent, and loud all at once?"
"Um, well-"
"And what does that make Hatsu then? I remember you guys explaining a little bit of it before, and how it manifests your ability. I would have assumed that that's what combines all three of those other elements somehow, but if it's a principle of it's own how does it work differently?"
"Er, that's-"
"Wouldn't the other principles be considered an ability already? Also, if Gyo is an advanced stage of Ren, then isn't that already Ren you're using? Does that also mean there's other advanced stages for each principle?"
The line of questions carrying more words than what Gon was originally prepared for, filling his head with curiously spoken requests of better understanding that came in quickly before Gon could have a chance to comprehend and follow each question. Blinking at her with a wriggled expression as his brain tries to keep up with her bounty of questions that were already advancing beyond the basic steps.
And the more he attempts to think and consider each question, the more Gon realizes just how complex and complicated Nen really is. Maybe he really should have let Killua take his place instead...
"I-I think I accidentally skipped over a couple of steps," Gon said abruptly with a raised hand, stopping Emma's ceaseless questioning at his perturbed face that soon added a reassuring - if a bit crooked - smile, "We'll go by them one at a time, but to answer your first question; as far as I know, there isn't a way to combine Zetsu and Ren. But there's definitely something that can be made by combing a few other principles."
"Oh. Okay. Sorry. I got carried away, didn't I?" Emma apologized, rubbing down and up the strap of her backpack, "It's really exciting to learn new things I didn't know was possible before."
Gon shook his head. "No! It's actually good. I think that means you might be able to pick up on some things pretty quickly." Inwardly sighing in relief at careening her questions that were far too advanced for him to explain so soon. One step at a time, he tells himself. He shall take them one step at a time.
Or maybe there is more he should do than simply tell what Wing and Biscuit told him and Killua. It has become apparent enough just how fast at learning she is - her sudden expert use of a fishing rod and catching a bird on her first try one major example of this.
Maybe instead of teaching her the same way Gon and Killua had been taught about Nen, he ought to explain it in a way that catches up to Emma's pace, so that she can have a for sure grasp at Nen when the time comes to unlock her aura.
It might also be more difficult considering that she can't see Nen aura yet, otherwise Gon would have an easier time explaining by doing demonstrations. He'll just have to make due with what he can explain in words right now. It might not be in his level of expertise, but he will try anyhow.
After a mental recovery from the bombarding questions, Gon then picked out the next one she asked. "I guess in a way, Ten, Ren, and Zetsu are abilities also. Hatsu on the other hand is when a Nen user infuses his own will, and make a special move to do a certain thing."
Doing his best to explain, Hatsu helps forge a user's ability based upon the user's preferred combat, performing a certain task, and honing their Nen ability to achieve it in a manner the user intends. It boils down to what kind of fighting style the user wants to do, or if they might decide a non-offense based power, and the type of Nen they are most affiliated with.
"A type of Nen?" Emma asked.
"Uhuh!" He nodded, "Every Nen user has a Nen type - which means that they're under a category that they're the strongest with. Nen has six categories, and most of them can be used by anyone who has Nen. There's a lot I can tell you about; let's start with Enhancer..."
/.\
An educational walk through the calm neighborhood as Gon continued to tell his knowledge of Nen; all the factors and elements to its power, including the main categories that which defines Nen users and what sort of ability they can perform.
Enhancement, Transmutation, Emission, Conjuration, Manipulation, and Specialization; the six categories of Nen. Nen users are able to access most of them, but those who have a certain affinity for one are at their most pique under that specific category than the others.
Enhancement - the enhancing of the user's strength and defense.
Transmutation - the ability to change the quality of aura and mimic another property.
Emission - the act of detaching aura from oneself.
Conjuration - the making of physical constructs out of aura.
Manipulation - the act of controlling the actions of a target, inanimate or alive.
And Specialization - a technique that fits under neither previous category, a class of unique effects. It is also the only category that, if the Nen user is of any other type but a Specialist, it is impossible to tap into it (either you are a Specialist, or you cannot perform Specialization).
It was around this time that they managed to find a clothing store mended with the neighborhood and a new area where other stores were at. And while Emma took a moment to wondrously examine the entrance, set up of the store, and overall first experience of being inside a clothing store of the modern world supposedly have in the Human World. She continued listening to Gon as after he concluded explaining each category, went on to types.
"I'm an Enhancer, and Killua is a Transmuter. We're both at our strongest when we use a move based on what category we're under," Gon began telling as he eyes and pushes aside the clothes hanging upon each racket, looking for something about their size.
"Even though we were training our Nen around the same time," he picked out nicely white formal blouse and showed it to Emma, "if Killua uses any kind of Enhanced-based attack, it wouldn't be as strong as mine. Same if I use any kind of Transmutation attack compare to his, and he has a lot of Transmutation moves while I only have one."
She accepted the blouse and held it in front of herself, looking down and confirming its size (which is just about hers). "So under a certain type, there's a category that you excel at better than the other categories," Emma fathomed.
A commended nod from Gon for her quick understanding before resuming, casually walking through the isles and idly shopped alongside Emma. "Emitters can separate their aura far away from themselves without it being too dangerous. Aura is what makes you alive, so separating a good chunk of it from you can really hurt, and even kill unless you're careful and train enough. I'm able to do it but it took a lot of hard work, and I probably wouldn't even be able to shoot it as far as someone who's an Emitter type."
As they moved on to the pants isle, he moves onto the Conjuration category, "Conjurers can build whatever object they want from their aura. They can make it into a physical object that even people who aren't Nen users can see and even touch it."
"E-eh?! You mean you can make real objects out of your own life energy?!" Emma nearly screamed, her grip tightening the fabric of the still held given blouse. Gon smiled with a little mirth at her yet another incredulous disbelief. He might feel a little guilty for it, but he found her exaggerated expressions funny and enjoyable to watch - it reminded him of Leorio.
"It really is awesome, isn't it?" He said, "We have a friend back in our world who's a Conjurer. He made chains out of his aura and wears it around his hand just about all the time."
"Wow..." Emma emote with widened eyes. "And Manipulators? Could they really control anything using their aura? That's a little discomforting."
"Mm. Maybe. It does sound kind of unnerving when you think about it. Still pretty amazing though. Oh, and then the last type is Specialists. They're a little harder to explain though. From what we heard, they basically use really special abilities that isn't found under the other categories. Other than that, I don't really know a lot about it. Our Nen instructors didn't tell us a lot about it either, since it's a category that can only be accessed by a Specialist."
He suddenly ceased speaking as he received a thought, what would happen if Emma turns out to be a Specialist? It's the only class they are not familiar with nor could practice - locked from their reach as an Enhancer and Transmuter. Even if they would help her focus on the rest of the categories, like how Biscuit taught them, they wouldn't know how to help her fully utilize that one category they themselves could not learn. He'll have to talk to Killua about this and see what they can do if that comes to happen.
Folding the yet to be bought blouse and held it against her person, Emma stared at the line of clothing beside them, the store's music playing faintly from the speakers above them. "I never would have thought you'd be able to do any of that, or that it was even possible. I mean, there's A LOT of things I've seen already that I didn't know existed before, from here and back at my world. I just can't help but be caught so off-guard by it."
"You'll get the hang of it," Gon encourages, leaving aside his previous thought for now. "Hm... There's a lot more I can tell you, but let's finish up shopping first and then head for the city for something to eat."
"Sure! I am getting kind of hungry." She spotted a nice looking black skirt and picks that out as well, "We should probably be careful how many outfits to buy, or else it'll be a hassle to carry it all around."
"That's alright. We can just wear the new outfits after we take them to the counter. We can always come back later anyway, now that we know where this place is."
Nodding in agreement, after they picked out new sets of clothes for themselves. They purchase them at the counter - although it wasn't exactly a "purchase" as the cashier had informed them, any items are freely available for competitors to take - free of charge.
"Wow! So as competitors, we can take anything we want?" Gon asked the cashier. The cashier nodded.
"That's right, but we wouldn't recommend just walking out of the store without going to the counter first. We like to keep a record of what item leaves the store. I have a friend working at another store who had some scary looking guy come in, empty out a net full of soccer balls, and just left without going to the counter - only taking the net and one soccer ball. Creepy guy by the sound of it, so it might have been the best he didn't confront him."
Emma did wonderfully keeping her reaction from exploding as soon as she connected the dots of the said transpired taking of a net and single ball from last night. She had wondered where Garou got the net from, a good thing she left it along with the soccer ball back at Gon and Killua's place, else she might have been questioned about it.
"Would... something like that be considered theft?" She asked carefully. Concerned if Garou would be in trouble should he be found again.
"Hmm. If he's a competitor, not technically? Some securities might have a word with him though, and it is pretty strange that he only took those things. Some very special items might require some form of purchase, but since he didn't take anything that important, he won't get into too much trouble. I'm hoping something like that doesn't happen too often though."
A muted nod from her. Deciding to keep her lips shut and her knowledge to herself, as she and Gon had their picked outfits checks out, put into paper bags individual colors of yellow and white, and bid the cashier a good day as they left the store.
"...Ah." Gon suddenly spoke, stopping in his tracks as the automatic doors shuts close behind them. He turns her head for Emma, "Last night, didn't you brought a ball-?"
Evident panic in Emma's eyes, she shakes her hands in wordless ceasing motion. Her message received, Gon quickly covered his own mouth, self-acknowledged enough about his own tendency to slip up something he probably shouldn't have even if he doesn't know it in a split moment, so he quickly hushed before saying anymore.
Distancing themselves from the store, Emma quietly explains, "I think that might have been Garou that worker was talking about. When I was helping him find his apartment, I mentioned about the other competitors and how amazing they are, and how I would have liked to know a little bit of power like that."
She adjusted her hold of her backpack while gripping the string handle of the paper bag under her fingers, "He then went and got me that soccer ball, and used the net to have it hang and hit it like a boxing bag. He taught me a few moves with it."
"He showed you those martial arts moves he uses?"
"A few of it," she said. "Some of them were too hard to keep up. I couldn't move my body as quick as his, but there were some things I managed to follow."
"Huh. Well that's pretty cool," Gon said, light-heartedly surprised. "I guess he really is a nice person after all."
A warm smile came to Emma as she thought back last night. "Yeah... I think so too."
/.\
The Hero Hunter prowls the city streets of the Wired, in search of more strong competitors and heroes. The sidewalk is occupied by numerous people going about their day. It was a guessing game to assume which person was an NPC, or a strong competitor he can challenge. Garou has not much intention to hunt down every competitor he comes across, that would be when he may go into direct conflict against them once they enter the next event.
Evidently, he has to be careful to where and who he picks a fight with. Remembering the warning of that pink hair staff worker Mashu, if he gets caught doing his acts of evil, he'll be facing a penalty or get booted off from the competition completely. He shall bide his time then, assess every competitor he can pick out from the crowd, potential opponents that catches his eye.
However, should he ever spot a hero, the gloves come right off, and he won't promise to stay his hand. The hero hunter never ignores any hero, whether they'd be incredibly weak or so strong no person can stand a chance - until Garou, who will break that mold with every intention burning into his being.
There was some mention about a training ground where fighting are allowed, but if there happens to be any restriction of how intense one person can fight, then it'll impede Garou immensely in his purpose to evolve his fighting skills even further. Maybe he can find a secluded place, lure potential opponents towards the forest or at a dark alleyway no one looks into. He doubted that there was enough surveillance set up in every nook and cranny in a big place like this.
He walked through several blocks, coming across a park area - short stairways and ramps that led down the bright grass field, cut through by several stone pavements. A large lake at the center, and several grown trees of deep green leaves. People taking a liesure stroll or lying upon the grass, just enjoying this easy going morning.
There were plenty Garou assessed at his distance; a boy with silver hair and a huge sword on his back chatting with a girl in blue jean shorts. Another pair with one a girl in pigtails reading a book and a boy with white hair sleeping on his back with a headband over his eyes. And closer at the near edge of the field where Garou is walking by, there was a girl dressed in witch's clothing, playing around in some kind of experimentation with a bottle of red powder that she seemed to be seeing for the first time. A silver case and what looks to be a staff lying beside her, her wide cherry red eyes peering into the glass held by her fingers, looking through the entry way of the vial with puffed cheeks of inquisitively.
It's a safe bet that some of these people he sees here are competitors, but until he can actually see them carry their patch of gold stars, he can't be sure. He'll likely have to start keeping track as to who is what - NPC or Competitor, and pin up the pictures of those that caught his interest on the wall within his apartment, so to know and pick the person he'll hunt next - particularly those who can push him to his limit.
His eyed his surroundings in capturing the detail of everything. The tall city buildings at his right as cars drove by upon the street, he walks by a muttering boy sitting on a bench, green-black hair and big round eyes full of bright hope that studies intently to the notebook he has in his hand and writes upon. Garou takes a sudden change of interest from the scenery to the quietly spoken words of the boy in tan-yellow shirt and sand-color pants, speaking quickly as if he was an auditor.
"-able to forge weapons using his own energy while simultaneously supporting his partner. Severe wounds that heal on its own but its effects were unique that it's doesn't look like a simple regenerative ability."
The meaning in his words were clearly analytical, Garou was honestly marveled by how fast the boy who shared a similar hair shade as Gon could talk. He rounded the bench and being unknowingly or not caring his nosy being, he stood behind the seated boy and looked over the notebook.
"-and it only seems to be effective when he's around her. A second source? That might explain how he's able to provide just enough to support her and himself-"
Garou's eyes widened as he saw the amount of note, sketches, mathematical shapes that this boy was producing from the end of his pencil, steadily becoming blunter that it'll need a pencil shaver in the next minute. Labelled lists of strength and weakness, pros and cons, theories written and etc. Whoever this boy was writing about, he seemed to have a lot on them.
"-Although, he did mention how he wasn't a good healer. But that morning she came out of his tent just fine. So it he couldn't heal Saber, how does he-?"
"Hey."
The sudden interruption from Garou as he rested his elbows against the back frame of the green bench, Izuku Midoriya jumped from his seat with an "Eep!" and a near drop of his pencil that sprawled right from his grip, his hands flailing for the pencil until he was able to quickly catch it before its complete descent. He whipped his head around for the captured attention of the dark shirt wearing fighter - which further disarmed Izuku at the sudden sight of the sharp eyes of Garou.
"Oh-! S-Sorry, am I taking too much space?" Izuku asked apologetically.
Garou glances down to the backpack and several books set beside Izuku, essentially indeed taking up most of its available space for anyone else to sit. Izuku quickly gathered his books and notebooks and hauled them over his lap. "Sorry about that. You can take a seat now if you want."
A sudden interest of the boy and his writing, Garou took the invitation. A grip of the bench's frame that pushed him over, he sat down in a quick, eased motion that didn't cause the bench to shake upon his sitting. Izuku was too busy putting away his books and other notebooks inside his backpack to notice. Garou takes another eyeful peek of the notebook the boy had been writing on, being clutched against the boy's figure.
"You working on something there?" Garou asked.
Izuku looked up, "A...ah," he stuttered, scratching the side of his face, looking away with a strained grin, "Kind of? I mean, it's just some notes I have."
A long obvious look that took curiosity to the notebook, gold irises trailing up to the boy. Izuku was suddenly at a position where he wasn't sure if he should elaborate on his work further, especially to a rather intimidating looking stranger.
"About?" Garou pressed further.
"Just uh..." Nothing more came with it, Izuku's mouth thinned in self-debate as he looked down for a moment, loosing grip of his backpack that nearly fell from his lap and he fumbled for it, keeping it close to himself and breathing out in relief, though he seemed still at edge somewhat. His haste of recovery though left his notebook somewhat exposed, and Garou was able to catch some short sentences on a page, reading: "Mana = Quirk?" and also "Laughing sun = hallucination or parallel world?"
Garou breaks free from the oblivious card, though he wouldn't say he was pulling one in the first place. "You just sitting here writing about people you're spying on?"
The secret exposed, Izuku visibly flinched greatly. Garou raises an eyebrow, "You're not a creep, are you?"
"NO!" Izuku hastily responded, sputtering out, "I-it's nothing like that!... well, I guess on the surface, it might be - I mean! I-I'm just analyzing! There's... there's a lot of incredible things that I haven't seen before..."
"Hm."
That was all Garou said. Izuku looked rather embarrassed, glancing at a clock pole just nearby which Garou noticed. Was he waiting for something, someone? The boy then returned his eyes to his backpack on his lap, appearing rather awkward after just being asked if he was a weirdo of some kind, or maybe it was the staring by Garou that was slowly pushing Izuku to his discomfort.
Whether it was Garou's own lack of social awareness, or he just doesn't care, he asked then, "So you've seen a lot of interesting people? Those videos from last night too?"
"Y...Yeah..." Izuku admitted, looking back to Garou. He didn't particularly know who the stranger talking to him is, but the stranger seemed... nice? even if he didn't seem to appear otherwise, just seemed like he was only making some casual talk.
Izuku internally reprimands himself, a hero shouldn't discriminate others by look - though that's probably apparent if they really don't always look the part, Izuku though will give the benefit of the doubt.
He suppose a small conversation wouldn't hurt while he waits for a friend to arrive.
"There was a lot of amazing stuff I've watched. I was left with my jaw dropped the entire time," Izuku further said, looking at the notebook in his hand before turning to Garou. "Have you seen those footages too? That top five moments and those special mentions also."
It really blew Izuku away that he wondered how his world would have faired if they had such powerful people living among there. Well, for one thing, Izuku would hope for them to be with the good guys.
Garou relaxes his back against the bench, looking up at the top of the tall buildings and those behind it, surpassing each height by several more times. "Heh. Yeah. Looks like there's plenty of decent fighters around."
Izuku nodded, settling down as he opens the notebook in his hand, and flipped through some pages. "There was one person I met who could blast fire from his feet. And this other guy who can deflect people's attack or powers with a broken sword. Oh! There was also someone who used his own nose hairs to fight-!"
Before he knew it, Izuku began rambling his awe of the powers he has seen from competitors, his enthusiasm and amazement settling him down to acceptable comfort as he tells each experience of seeing a competitor's efforts, their demonstrative ability, and etc.
Garou listens with intent, taking in every little info as informed by the excited boy who have left behind nervousness - Garou had figured Izuku to be an NPC. A baseless assumptions, but he can hardly imagine any competitor would be as sensitive or nervous if they ought to survive in a competition like this. He resumes listening as Izuku began explaining his theories and detail-captured of the events he saw from the recording of the Preliminary, having written down everything he saw and picked out some few little details. It was a surprise for Garou to hear just how attentive and studious this boy is.
"-So I was thinking, there has to be an additional factor for that giant purple robot. It moved almost too humanly for it to just be purely mechanical. Maybe the one who's controlling it is using some kind of motion detector that has the robot follow every move precisely. It also has a really big disadvantage when dealing with smaller enemies," Izuku said as he additionally wrote in the page dedicated to the Evangelion, an unintentional pun at his last sentence.
Garou hummed as he reached over and gently takes the notebook from Izuku's hands for a closer look, "You sure are a nerd for abilities huh?"
"M-maybe," Izuku faintly admitted, a bit caught off guard by Garou's taking of his notebook. Seeing as how Garou hadn't instantly began running with the notebook in hand, he took comfort to that - for about a few seconds or so. "Since I was little, I've always looked up to heroes and study their Quir- I mean, their powers. Advantage and disadvantage. All of them amazing."
"Oh? You like heroes then?" Garou asked as he flipped to the next page. Fairly standard for a citizen to like heroes, nothing surprising.
"Yeah!" Izuku's face sprung with elated emotions of admiration to the name, "I'm a big fan of them. They're really awesome! Um... can I have that back?"
He pointed to the taken notebook. At that, Garou stopped his reading, "Oh. Sorry."
Garou handed back the notebook without argument, bringing better ease in Izuku. A small smiling sigh from the boy as he puts away his notebook, he zips his backpack close. "It's fine-"
Far behind them, a loud sound of a blast erupted on the park grassy field and they jolted right out of their bench. They looked back to find a black smoky clouds that takes a single spot of the area, pedestrians startled by the sudden explosion.
"What was that?" Izuku asked, his gentle voice suddenly stern, before suddenly booking towards the explosion. Garou gazes at the field before his attention swiftly changed to the boy who suddenly was sprinting towards the excitement, and he followed in casual but quick leap, catching up to the boy as he stopped and looked back at the scene.
A girl in what looked to be a dark gray-blue witch's outfit, coughing out in big exaggerated and wide eye heaps of gasps for air as her face was dirties with black smudges of the blast's residue, she had dark red-like hair reaching her back and red eyes, her witch hat blown right off from her head by the gust aftermath of the blast. Izuku rushed for the girl, "Are you okay?!"
The witch girl, Atsuko Kagari, shakes her head up and down in affirmative nod while hacking out the air from her lungs as she tried to breathe after barely escaping the fumes. "Y-yeah! cough Sorry! I was trying out a bottle of red dust that I heard could turn into fire. I-" she coughed out another one, choke briefly by the smoke, "I think it might have worked too well. I shouldn't have sneezed at it-"
"Watch out!"
The yelling of someone nearby prompted them to look up. Above the big smoke, a white open suitcase rises to the sky after being pushed up by the blast, though it only suffered scratches and black smudge marks, what fell out from the open case was several small glass bottles, each filled with half amount of dust materials in a variety of red, blue, brown, and green. Up high beside it was a short yellowish staff with small blue round gems and a gold rim upon the head.
"AAH! My staff!" Atsuko screamed in a panic. "And the bottles! The dust will go off if they break!" And at that amount of dust, it'll be a massive and powerful explosion.
Clearing her throat with a harsh cough, she sprung back up and ran directly for the cloud of smoke to catch all of the items. However, to perform such a task would certainly be a dangerous one if she fails to catch even one bottle of dust. Having this realization in mind, Izuku's arms short forth and stopped Atsuko with a grab of her shoulders, pulling her back with a jerk of her body and a surprised shriek out of the witch girl. "Don't! It's too-"
Garou casually walks towards the smoke. Looking underneath the falling bottles casually. She ought to be more careful handling stuff like that, he slowly relaxes his fingers as the bottles began their descent.
"-Acceleration Mode!"
Two steps forward as Izuku stopped Atsuko from running towards the smoke, something even faster appeared before any of them could react. Garou's eyes widened, the brisk sound of running feet across the grass behind them and he spun around. But whatever he had just felt and heard, was no longer there. Gone in a flash just as he thought someone spoke.
What just-
Overhead from his turned head, a figure in red was above the cloud of smoke, and he dropped down with ease. A thump of the ground takes Garou's eyes back to the scene, where it suddenly spiraled and shed itself apart, as if attacked by a gust at the center. The figure in red knelt on one knee, a long orange fabric of a scarf that wraps the figure's neck, gently lowering until upon the ground.
He stood up calmly from his dark long boots, the back of his head a curved outline of his chestnut brown hair, like a three finger flame silhouette that tasted the wind full front.
"Everyone alright?" The arrived person, 009 turned around, warm brown eyes meeting the three close onlooker with a gentle smile. In his arms, he held the case and all of its bottles of dusts shown, and the staff that belonged to the witch girl Atsuko.
Garou blinked widely as if in attempt to see through 009 clearly. This guy with a color scheme that stood him out from the increasingly dissipating smoke, he just suddenly appeared. But Garou was nearly certain, this was the guy he heard just now. For him to be there already, with those items that were just about to fall already in his hold, only one answer came to mind.
Speed. This guy is a person of speed.
"Ah... aaaah!" Izuku's eyes enlarged at the sight of orange scarf wearer, "Y-you're- You're Cyborg 009! I-I've seen you- I mean, heard of you! You're one of the heroes of the Wired!"
Garou's fingers twitched. Hero?
"I wouldn't go far to call myself a hero," 009 humbly stated with a smile, approaching them with the bottles of Dust and the case that came with it. Atsuko was oblivious to how 009 suddenly appeared in front of them, wide eyes blinking dumbly before coming back to realization and she quickly offered her arms, accepting back the case and Dust.
"Th-thank you! You're a life saver!" She bows her head hastily in repeated apology as Izuku lets go of her. Garou's sharp eyes focused on the cyborg.
"Did you see what just happened?" He overheard the abrupt whispers of others nearby that had been here on the field, having rushed over as soon as they heard the explosion and saw the smoke. He side-glances one of them, the boy with silver hair and a huge sword on his back who asked in amazement to his female companion, who had her hands on weapons, arm-length cylinders with triggers - guns it seems.
"I... I swear I just saw him over there, but now he's suddenly there..." Another way, the girl in dirty blonde pigtails said in appalling breath while the boy with white hair stood beside her, hands in his pocket as he looked at the apparent saver of what could have been further disaster. "He was..." the pigtail girl resumed, "Fast..."
So Garou hadn't been the only one to notice. Good to hear he was right on the mark, his eyes narrowed fiercely at the scarf-wearing cyborg who smiled at the witch girl. To have such a kind smile from a rather nice-looking face of a boy had Atsuko's heart flutter and cause faint pinks to come to her cheeks. In Garou's case, his expression of a fierce grin was of villainous intent.
009!
Suddenly, 009's face turned serious. Gazing aside, he faces away from the three people. Responding to the internal communication in his head, I'm here. What's happening, 003?
The abrupt change in 009's behavior was noticed. Though 009 couldn't hear their questions and curiosity as he listened back from 003, There's another fight happening at the west side of the city. The other cyborgs are too preoccupied. You're the only one who's closest!"
I'm on my way, 009 mentally answered to the call. He looked back to the concern and wondering looks of each of those close by, and waves at the three main ones closest to him, "Sorry! I'd like to keep chatting, but I got to get going. Just be careful with that stuff from now on!"
The cyborg then rushes off towards one direction, towards the city buildings. "O-oh! Alright! Thanks again!" Atsuko shouted once more. A thumbs up from 009 as he quickly takes a jump and run up to the closest tall buildings, and disappears beyond the roof.
"Wow! He really is amazing! Was that some kind of spell? Wait, did you call him a cyborg?" Atsuko wondered with tremendous curiosity as she looked back to Izuku. "Is that what he is?! Seriously?!"
"Well, judging by his name, I guess so. Oh, here. You dropped your hat," Izuku picked up the witch hat that had been blown aside, luckily to have only fallen just a foot away.
"Ah! Thank you!" Atsuko gleefully expressed, grabbing the apparel and hugging it tightly. "I'm so glad this wasn't burnt."
"It's even better that no one was hurt either," Izuku said, looking at the people around them, and noticing someone missing. "Huh?"
The white fanged hair man was no where on the grass field. Where on earth did he go? Izuku didn't even get a chance to know his name. He seemed nice enough, even if he did look a bit intimidating.
/.\
Running and leaping across buildings, roof after roof, like a rabbit travelling and overcoming each high surface, granting himself leverage and boost with every kick off of the hard surface, Cyborg 009 moves for his destination at once. Taking no pause, diligently maneuvering within the city of the Wired.
Unbeknownst by 009, another person was leaping from roof after roof. While this is at times a common action done by NPCs who are capable of it, and Competitors as well. This roof hopper had his intention in pursuit of the cyborg in red. His black shirt like a furious, swift shadow beast moving through the white textures of the building tops, sprinting for his determined prey and the long orange scarf as a tail that keeps track of his target.
I got my eyes on you. Garou determines. You're not getting away from me.
The hunt is on for the Hero Hunter.
Competitors Introduced:
Izuku Midoriya (My Hero Academia)
Atsuko Habari/Akko (Little Witch Academia)
NPC (Non-Participating Competitor) Introduced:
Joe Shimamura/009 (Cyborg 009: The Cyborg Soldier)
A/N: Gosh I really love this story, I have a bad habit of starting one before getting to the ones I've posted before this, it helps me keep creative though, and also keep my mind distracted with new exciting things and alleviate my stress with college, I should hope to gain the inspiration to try posting the next chapters of my other fanfic stories though.
A warning to all, I'll be going back previous chapters of this story and rewriting a few things, there'll likely be an additional section added for when Emma led Gon and Killua across the forest, and other dialogues possibly re-worded. The same may be regarded for this chapter, though generally many plot points shall remain the same.
Q/A
Maxim7: Yeah I absolutely agree with you. There's a few reason to this, for one thing, I'm afraid of it becoming to repetitive of Emma explaining her situation of her world, so I'm holding it off from Garou until a more appropriate moment comes (plus they kept getting distracted or focused on something else, though if and when he does ask her outright she'll answer). Down along the line, Emma might also end up thinking of the other competitors selflessly, withholding her own problems so to hear theirs, which will likely conflict with her drive to help her family. So while she would want to ask other for help, she would also consider helping them first.
Garou will eventually know but I didn't want to cram in too much of everything in one chapter. Perhaps another time when they may meet again, he'll ask about what she meant by "saving her family" and hear her having to explain it. Look forward to it when the reaction comes, especially when other characters might hear about her mission as well, I imagine a lot of people will be rushing to help her in every way they can think of. (yes, this will be one of those fluff stories of looking after the lost child of neverland, but I don't want to go too deep into that as I hope t write the story seriously with some occasional down time and etc.)
Although Emma is the main character, a lot of other competitors in this competition have their very good reason for being in this competition as well, and they'll be having their moments to shine and be a focal point in the story as well. Also, I imagine Emma may mention her situation if asked directly, if not she likely won't bring it up out of nowhere except when its to make a point, like expressing her sympathy for others wanting to fight and win for the sake of someone.
It's also kind of the same reason as to why Gon and Killua haven't brought up more in depth about Kite, which is its own issue that both of them would likely struggle to explain the full story, especially Gon. By the way, I changed back the crossover setting from Anime X-overs to The Promised Neverland x Anime X-overs, when looking through the library of other multiple crossovers, I find it that this story would be far easier to search up if I put them in a less used setting (not a lot of Promised Neverland fics around).
This way this story doesn't end up getting drowned in a sea of other multi-crossover fics, it helps stand out more and also, people who have read the Promised Neverland would get the gist of what Emma is fighting for, and would feel more comfortable reading her point of view than having to look into all the other animes that'll be referenced and characters from multiple series introduced (not everyone has seen every anime in history), though I hope it would make a good suggestion list for anyone who is interested to look into them.
TurboKid96: Emma, Gon and Killua agreed to work together, though to stay as a group all the time likely won't always be assured. But they'll for sure try to regroup when the next round starts. For Emma, she wants to help her new friends while also expanding her options in being able to do more than what she already is capable of. It's a thought that asked, well, why wouldn't she make this request to Gon and Killua? I imagine, following her previous lessons with Ray in following the Nameless Man(Spoiler: /Yugo/) during Goldy Pond arc, they had to pay attention and take whatever intel they can get from the man who wouldn't teach them directly otherwise.
Evidently, they must "take" what skill they see from others, and "adapt" to the situation in order to survive. This is what also inspires Emma to seek Gon and Killua's tutelage and learn Nen before their next round starts.
I hope this chapter was a fun read. Stay safe everyone!