Disclaimer: I do not own anything but my OC.
Warnings: Violence. Death. Language.
Beta: Arii-hime.
CRYING WOLF
by: Riseha
Chapter 11
Exasperation
I landed on all fours, was offered only a few seconds to react before I jumped out of the way.
I rolled out of the way, crouching as I inspected the place where I last stood. Had I been there, I would've been impaled by... tarot cards.
Oh my God, of all people in the Hunter Exams—it had to be him?
I wanted to kill the Old Man for setting this up. I didn't know how great his influence was, but lately, every misfortune in my way seems to have something to do with him.
I hoped that this wasn't the fight-to-the-death sort of battle to advance; I wasn't that ready to die yet. My Ten flared but Hisoka merely chuckled, licking his card.
I grimaced.
"Don't worry," he said, not reassuring me at all. "I'm not looking for a fight," he paused, "at least, not now." He smiled creepily. "I was getting bored with no company but baldy anyway."
I glanced to where he was pointing, and scowled.
Hanzo was glaring and pouting at Hisoka, but when he saw me, his attempts to be friendly went down the drain. "You!" he yelled. "You're the one who tripped me during the Second Hunter Exam!"
"You noticed?" I was truly mystified. But then, recalling his statement, I added, "I thought you're a ninja. Aren't ninjas supposed to be aware of their surroundings?"
Illyria Zoldyck: one point. Hanzo: nil.
Hanzo growled, looking like he might want to throttle me or propose a battle now, but then he sighed in defeat. "Look, I know we started on the wrong foot—"
"Bad pun," Hisoka snickered, shuffling his cards.
"—but to pass this test, we need to work together."
I frowned. "How so?"
This time, Hisoka stepped away from where he was obscuring the narrow hallway. I peered past him, seeing mechanisms attached to the wall, and approached it.
I jabbed the buttons on the dead machine randomly. "What's this for?"
"I'm not too attuned to technology," Hanzo muttered, somewhat embarrassed, scratching his bald head sheepishly. "So, what about you guys?"
Hisoka hummed, peering over my shoulder, then, before I could say don't be stupid, he pressed the red button. The one with the skull. Even Hanzo who had no knowledge of modern technology, blanched.
"Isn't that dangerous?" he asked.
Hisoka shrugged. "We've got to take chances sometimes, no?"
"No!" I yelled, slamming my fists down onto the myriad of buttons, jabbing them randomly for an off-button when the machines started bleeping like crazy.
Participants refuse to advance, proceeding to self-destruct... Countdown beginning... 20... 19... 18...
My eyebrow twitched when I heard that almost bored, mechanical female voice announced this casually to us. With calmness that I did not know I had, I choked out, "What do you have to say for yourself?"
Hanzo blinked, confused. "Um, is something going to happen?"
"Well?"
Hisoka beamed, not at all disturbed. "It's not unusual to make mistakes in one's lifetime."
Before I could throttle him, Hanzo shouted out in alarm. "The room's going to explode with us in it?!"
"Yes," I hissed. "Which part of 'self-destruct' did you not understand?"
"We have to run!" Hanzo yelled instantly. He looked around wildly for an escape route.
"But, where?"
Hisoka had the gall to ask that, if he hadn't pushed anything, messed with something he didn't know about, we wouldn't even be in this situation! I was about to point that out and demand compensation when Hanzo interjected.
"My ninja training had taught me to carve a path when there is none to be found... First we must remain calm, think rationally and..."
7... 6... 5...
"We're going to die!" Hanzo shrieked in despair.
"But we were just getting to the good part," Hisoka pointed out.
I elbowed him, pushing and hitting randomly on the brick walls, searching for an opening. There had to be a way. With Kou, I could easily destroy this and get out of here. The problem was the radius, how far would the fire spread?
4... 3... 2...
No time, I thought as I charged 85% of aura into my hand and unleashed it.
The walls crumbled as I pulled the guys to their feet and forced them to make a run for it. This was to test our teamwork and no matter how much we disliked one another, we, as future Hunters, must learn to work together.
1... zero...—
"Are we going to make it?" Hisoka wondered, unperturbed even as he tore ahead of us. That selfish little piece of ass. Ugh!
"Just," I tensed, spreading and distributing Ten all over my body for defense. I glanced at Hisoka briefly, seeing his body surrounded by aura as well. I glanced back at where Hanzo was running like crazy and paled when I realized he didn't know how to use Nen.
"Run!"
Hot, searing fire burned my back as darkness claimed me.
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ
I groaned as I came to.
I rolled onto my back and hissed slightly when my smarting wound reminded me that I had a terrible burn behind me. I grimaced, turning back onto my front and propping myself up on my elbows, blinking to gain better sight.
I waited impatiently as my eyes adjusted to the darkness.
I saw Hanzo's shiny bald head from a few meters away from me. I spread my Zetsu, sensing Hisoka a little ways in front of us and that all of us were alive.
What happened? I was sure I used Nen to protect myself—oh, right.
Hanzo couldn't use Nen and I had pulled him in front of me, shielding him with my own Ken. Then? Yes, the bomb had been set up all along the hallway. I couldn't remember in detail what had happened, but I was sure I could live without the wound.
I tried to stand but I crumpled back onto the ground. Dizzy, I glanced down, blanching when I saw a pool of dried blood under me.
So, this was it?
Death by blood loss?
Pathetic, I thought, pushing myself up into a sitting position. I tore the torn off hoodie off my back, flinging it onto Hanzo's head. It smacked his head soundly and he groaned, awakening.
I stomp forward, kicking Hisoka in the ribs when I heard his loud snore.
That asshole looked unscathed sans a few small cuts and bruises. "Wake up, asshole! This is all your fault, you're not going to make us fail too!"
Hisoka opened one eye, smirking. "I know, that's why I let you kick me without retaliating."
I would've gone red with rage had I had enough blood left in my body. My legs trembled from the severe blood loss; I wondered how long I could last.
"Damn," I heard Hanzo's curse as he stared at my back. "Doesn't it hurt?"
"Yes," I hissed venomously. "It does and I'm sure I'm dying from blood loss."
"We can't have that," Hisoka mused, pushing himself up into a sitting position, looking as if he had all the time in the world. "Can we?"
I wanted to retort, but all that came out was a garbled curse as I crumpled to the ground in a bloody heap. I hissed in pain. Then, just as I was about to pass out from the pain, I felt something sticky on my back, the gooey texture sticking on my back, stemming the blood.
Dazed, I turned. "Wha..." I turned to Gyo, seeing Hisoka's hand lighting up with pinkish aura and a string of Nen connecting with my back. He pulled and I was hauled up to my feet. I swooned, dizzy as I muttered cusses to the guy. Stumbling some, I clutched onto Hanzo's arm, blinking the spots out of my eyes. "Let's get going. Ugh."
"Lead the way," Hisoka said cheerfully, trailing behind me and holding me up as I walked.
My pace was about as slow as a snail's but neither male complained about my sluggish pace. I grabbed blindly, smacking against a loose rock and pushing. Trick Tower lives up to its name, I had a feeling that the self-destruct button Hisoka had pushed was exactly what we needed to advance. Of course, I would never admit that to him.
The wall slid open easily.
I trooped my way in, rubbing my eyes to stay conscious as we came to another device that looked remarkably similar to the one at the entrance. "Don't touch anything," I warned the guys when they peered over my shoulder.
This time, there was a new black button by the red self-destruct button's side. I jabbed it and, as expected, the screen whirred to life.
Do you wish to proceed?
I gnashed my teeth together in irritation. What sort of question was that? Ugh. I jabbed 'enter' and the doors slid open.
We came to a remarkably empty room. I probably would've inspected the place further if I wasn't too busy swooning and trying to clear my vision.
"This looks like a battle arena," Hanzo commented, walking about. Then, after a little distance away, stiffened. "Wait, does that mean we have to fight?" Both males glanced at me for decision.
I frowned, trying to push the pain away to think properly. I wouldn't put it past the Old Man to cook up this scheme to trouble me. But this was too predictable and Old Man was the definition of unpredictable.
"Ugh, whatever, go kill one another," I groaned, slumping down onto the ground.
"That includes you, you know?" Hisoka pointed out cheerfully, pulling on the string of Nen-made gum slightly, stressing my wound and I hissed in pain. "I would love to fight you, but you're too weak now and I want the thrill of fighting you when you're at your full strength."
I grounded my teeth together in frustration, desperately trying to operate my mind. I couldn't think straight and Hisoka was purposely tightening his hold on the gum, paining me even more, and I hissed again.
Just as I was about to snap, giving in to plain old instincts to kill every threat to me in sight, the walls shook. I stiffened, eyes snapping open, more alert now when I heard heavy footsteps.
Someone stepped forward. I could feel Hisoka's surprise as his hold on the gum loosened. "Oh, him?"
"You know him?" Hanzo asked, blinking curiously.
Hisoka hummed noncommittally. "I think so," he mused teasingly, mocking his opponent who obviously had a grudge against him. "Oh, but what was his name again?"
"Hisoka!" The large burly man roared in anger. I deemed him not a threat to me, even Hanzo could take him. He didn't know Nen, I couldn't sense any Nen from him.
I scoffed. He'd never defeat Hisoka. "Okay, go get him, Hanzo."
The bald ninja grinned, cracking his knuckles. "With pleasure!" he lunged despite the burly man's warning.
"I'm not here to fight you!" He glared at Hisoka. "I'm here to crush that man!"
"What's his name?"
"Togari, something," Hisoka answered, tapping his chin, mockingly thoughtful. "I think."
"Can you beat him?"
"Hm, I'm sure Baldy would be more than enough. Why do you ask—hey!"
His voice was the last thing I heard as I slumped down, unconscious.
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ
I didn't have the most pleasant of sleep; so, when I came to, I was yawning and would prefer to go back to sleep. I probably would have if I wasn't so astonished by the fact that whatever surface I was sleeping on was moving, jostling me unpleasantly, and the scent that invaded my nose.
I wrinkled my nose, pulling back at the scent of peaches.
Red filled my vision, I blinked, rubbing my eyes to make sure I wasn't dreaming. "Hisoka?"
"Good morning," The man replied cheerfully, slowing down, and alerting the other man to skid to a stop. Hanzo turned, grinning when he saw me conscious.
"What happened to that... uh, guy?"
"Dead," Hisoka replied cheerfully, offering me a blood-covered card. I made a disgusted face, shoving his hand away. "At any rate, we've been running for hours. And I was stuck carrying you, not that I would complain—"
"Enough," I snapped. "Now, put me down. I can walk fine on my own."
"I doubt it," Hanzo muttered under his breath but he helped me off Hisoka's back. The moment I stood on my feet, I had a hard time steadying myself, but I felt infinitely better than before.
I reached up, face flushing red when I saw the bandages on my chest. "What!?"
Hanzo coughed uncomfortably. "We have no other choice, the gum wasn't helping at all and we need to make it through together. Test of teamwork and all..."
"If it's any comfort to you," Hisoka said cheerfully. "I was the one who did it—"
I barely refrained from barfing; that was even more disturbing than to let Hanzo do it.
"—and it was dark anyway, I couldn't see very well—"
"Ugh, let's just go!" Scowling, face still very much red with anger and embarrassment, I shoved Hanzo out of the way and advanced.
I stopped, surprised when I stood on metal surface.
"It's an elevator," Hisoka remarked when he saw Hanzo's wide-eyed wonder.
"The thing that zoom straight down when people press a few buttons?" Hanzo's face lit up. "Awesome! We'll reach there easy!"
"It seems that we got the easy route out," Hisoka agreed.
I pressed the 'on' button, waiting impatiently as the machine whirred to life. I was wary, and my muscles were tense, ready to spring back and run if the thing chose to explode.
"Welcome to the final challenge of your test. To advance, you must answer each question correctly. If you get it wrong, you will have to wait for five minutes before advancing to the next question—the time penalty increases every time you're wrong, so take note. Now, question number one..."
Hanzo shuffled his feet nervously. "I'm not... uh, I ain't the brightest crayon in the box."
"We know," Hisoka said, beaming.
"...what is the name of the Chairman's Vice Chairman?"
Hanzo waved a handy white flag. "I came here to hunt something, not learn the names of people I'd probably never meet."
Hisoka shrugged unhelpfully.
I scoffed, taping in the answer. Pariston.
"Correct! Now, name the ten most beautiful people in the world!"
"What!"
I was tempted to let out the same outburst as Hanzo, but decided not to. I massaged my temples, trying to stem the irritation and migraine threatening to take over.
"Ooh, let me try, I believe I know!" Before I could protest, Hisoka shoved me out of the way and started typing in his answer. I glanced over his shoulder to see what he had typed in.
Why was I so surprised to see him name himself top?
"Wrong! Please wait five minutes before pressing enter. Should you violate the rules, you shall be stuck here for-ever!"
The ridiculous questions didn't stop there. There were of many variety and we barely answered right. We got so many answers wrong, I suspected we had been in the elevator for hours. I could see no end and I was starting to get claustrophobic with the black walls and no end in sight.
By the fourth hour (Hanzo was counting the seconds), even Hisoka looked frustrated. Fortunately, before I could use Kou to get us out, the last question came.
"In your group of three, who is the one you want to protect?"
Me? Hanzo.
Hanzo? Me.
Hisoka? Me and himself.
I was mildly surprised. They could've chosen to protect themselves, but I knew this wasn't a test to prove our honesty, but to test our teamwork.
The surface beneath us retracted and I yelped when we tumbled down. It was a slide, and was undoubtedly the most unpleasant of transports I had been on before in my life.
I landed on a hot, metallic netted surface.
I grimaced, pushing myself up, opened my eyes and blanched.
Beneath me was a chasm full of lava. I was mildly surprised the lava hadn't melted the walls, but then again, there were many inexplicable things within Trick Tower. That wasn't all; just as I started crawling away from the pit, the wall came crashing down.
Hanzo blanched. "What on earth!"
"Run!" I yelled but really, I was just wasting my breath; the guys were already running. I wasted no time myself to sprint towards the exit—
I cried out as the net gave away.
I was sure I'd die but before I could melt away, something sticky latched onto my arm and pulled me up. I had never been so thankful to have Hisoka in my team before.
I stumbled back, landing on my bum once I reach steady and cool surface.
"I'm alive," I wheezed out in relief. Grudgingly, seeing Hisoka's face, I added, "Thank you."
"You owe me one."
"Whatever," I scoffed, standing and brushing the dust off my pants. I glanced at the door up the stairs. "We're at the end," I said. "I could feel no other threats."
"No traps either," Hanzo confirmed. "I already checked the perimeter."
"Are you reliable?" Hisoka mocked.
I ignored them, stepping forward.
Time to go.
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Question: What sort of person does Illyria strike you as?
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