Goto's Challenge

"This is it," the girl pointed to a large manor between the trees. Five men stood in waiting at the front door, all in suave black suits. They each had their own intimidating looks.

"Good evening," they all bowed harmoniously. "Please, come inside."

Leorio looked at Kurapica, shocked and relieved at no resistence, but followed along quietly. The inside of the manor was more exquisite than the outside. Gon, after given first aid for his wounds, was sat with the others on a comfy luxury couch surrounded with expensive, easily broken decor. What appeared to be the leader sat in a chair across from them while the other four stood around the room along with the girl.

"Please forgive us for the incident a short while ago," Gon recognized the voice to be the one he had yelled at over the phone a few weeks ago. "Madam contacted us and asked us to welcome you as official guests. Make yourself at home."

"We are really pleased by your attention," Leorio addressed the man. "But we came here to see Killua. If it's possible, could you take us to the main residence now?"

"That won't be necessary," the man told them. "Killua is coming this way."

She couldn't put her finger on it, but for some reason, this struck fear into Stasy's heart. As she feared, she still wasn't ready to face him. The cushion made no sound as she lifted herself from her seat. A disturbed expression on her face.

"Stasy?" Gon looked up at her curiously. 'Is this another one of her personalities?'

"I can't do it, Gon," tears threatened to escape her eyes. Her lower lip quivered violently. "I'm afraid. I'm afraid Killua still hates me. I don't know how to face him. After what I did..."

"Sit back down," Gon ordered her with surprising firmness. "You can't know how Killua truly feels until you ask him. You will never know if you run away now. And not knowing will only drive you mad."

"B-but what if-"

"No ifs!" Gon pulled her down by the arm. "Found out for sure!"

She sat down quietly, her hands between her legs, and she didn't remove her quivering gaze from her tea cup. Silence fell upon the room.

"Inactivity makes the wait seem longer," the man pushed his glasses up his nose because they were sliding down. "So what would you say if I proposed a little game?"

"A game?" Kurapica inquired.

The man held a single golden coin and he flipped it. In a flash, he caught the coin and smiled. "In which hand is the coin?"

Everyone pointed simultaneously. "Left."

He opened the hand with a smile. "Correct. Let's try it a little faster this time." He repeated his speed doubling. "Which hand?"

Gon observed. "Still left."

He opened his hand to reveal that Gon had been right. "Congrats." The men in black standing around clapped. "Well, let's begin serious things." He flipped the coin, but this time, didn't simply catch it. His hands moved in a flurry in front of him, before he finally settled. "So?"

"I'm not certain," Leorio scrutinized the hands of the man. "It could be the right..."

"You know, I saw Master Killua's birth," he told them. "You could say I have paternal feelings for him. You are trying to take Killua away from me. I hate you. Which hand? Answer."

The carefree feeling before had just been demolished and wasn't helping the young brown-haired girl. She squirmed even more now.

"The left," Kurapica answered.

The man opened his hands to reveal a bent coin in his right. "Madam...she had such a weak voice. I could easily sense that she had had her heart broken. I can't accept it. Before Killua comes, we'll finish it. I'm gonna judge my way."

The men in black all took out long katanas and one held the dark skinned girl, with the sharp edge to her throat. "If you're mistaken once, she's killed. If you are eliminated one by one before Killua comes, we'll tell him that you left, and you'll never see Killua again."

"But Killua..." Gon began but he interupted him.

"Shut up! You are alive because we choose you to be. So it's useless and idiotic to think you can refuse my preposition." He tossed the coin again, and it appeared as if he had twenty hands.

Crap! Apathy! I need you.

I don't like how you use me just because I'm cynical.

You're body too. If you want to die, go ahead.

...Fine.

Stasy's shivering countenance became cool and collected as she analyzed the hands.

"Don't use the clock," the man told them. "You have three seconds to answer." He turned to the man hoding the girl in the blue suit. "Cut her throat."

"WAIT!" Leorio screamed. "I choose left!"

"I choose right," Apathy spoke out.

"Me too," Gon answered.

"So do I," Kurapica agreed.

He opened his hand to reveal that it was, in fact, in the right hand. "One down."

He flipped the coin again and this time, it appeared as if he caught it with both hands. Apathy frowned.

This guy's good.

"Which hand?"

"I choose left," Apathy spoke aloud.

"So do I," Gon spoke aloud.

"I choose right,"Kurapica announced.

The man with the glasses opened his hand to reveal that it was in the left. Kurapica was out. "Alright then..."

"Wait!" Gon called out.

"What? If you're hoping to buy time..."

"It's not that," he assured him and then turned to Leorio. "Can I borrow your knife? Don't worry, I don't have any bad intentions."

Leorio tossed him the knife and Gon removed the eyepatch on his swelled eye. Carefully, he sliced it open and blood poor down his face. He repatched the wound, but this time, the swelling had been gone. "I'm ready. Now I can see better. You can play now."

The man obliged and his hands moved in a blur. He finished just as quickly as he started. "Which hand?"

I don't know.

She looked at Gon and then said. "Right."

"Left."

He opened his hands. "It was the left. You're eliminated."

He stood up and two other men in black came over. He fipped the coin and they all moved their hands to catch it in a net of arms. "So, who has the coin?"

Gon smiled confidently. "The one behind me, right?" he pointed over his shoulder to a man in black standing behind the couch. He opened his hand to reveal that Gon was right.

The man with the glasses smiled. "Magnificent!" They all clapped. "The bad joke lasted too long. Please forgive me. But...didn't we manage to have a great time?"

"Gon!" Killua's words came from within the halls.

Apathy tensed up. I'm outta here.

Gon and the others ran to meet him, but Stasy remained on the couch staring intensely at her tea, which she hadn''t touched once.

"Gon!!" Killua shouted with delight. "Plus Leelio and Kurapica!!"

"Plus?" Kurapica inquired.

"It's Leorio!" said Leorio growled.

"Long time no see," Killua smiled broadly at Gon, pointing at him. "You managed to get here, but you should see your face!"

"Yours isn't so great either!" Gon pointed at him to, smiling.

"So, we should leave, ne? Wherever, let's go! The longer I stay here the longer my mom won't let me leave! By the way, Goto," he turned to the man in black, "Don't listen to what my mother says!"

"I understand," he bowed. "Have a good trip."

"Umm...Killua," Gon stopped him from skipping out the door in his excitement. "Stasy's here also."

The white haired boy froze. He had completely passed over her. He cautiously looked over to the couch to see her head bowed and sniffles coming from her. He swallowed a lump in his throat when she raised he head, but all his worries flew away when he saw her smiling.

"I'm so happy," she laughed, even though tears flooded her face. "You're back to your usual self. I was afraid Irumi's spell was permanent. You scared me back there."

"Uhh...I'm sorry for stabbing you in the chest like that," Killua sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "I'm glad to see that you're alive."

"Well, I died for two seconds," Stasy wiped the tears from her eyes. "Oh, don't worry! It wasn't that long! Long enough to have me fail the Hunter Exam and to lose one of my personalities, Listless, to be exact, but don't worry, I have eight others! You can stab me in the back seven more times, and I'll still live!"

Even though she was smiling, her words held their own feelings. "I'm sorry..."

"No, Killua!" She clasped his hands dramatically. "It is I who should apologize. On the blimp ride to the final Phase, I said some mean things to you! Well, it was technically Apathy, and she doesn't like you, because she thinks you're unprofitable, but that's no excuse! I was rude and uncaring towards your feelings! Please forgive me!!"

"You're still worried about that?" Killua rolled his eyes. "I forgot about it a long time ago. Yeah, yeah, I forgive you. Are we even now?"

Stasy glomped the assassin boy, freshu tears drenching their clothes. "Oh, yes! We're completely square!! I love you, Killua!!"

"Yes, yes! Now get off of me!"

While they battled, Gon walked over to Goto. "Mr. Goto," he addressed him. "You'll be sad not to be able to see Killua, right?"

"Not at all," he remained bowed. "As employees, we don't feel anything towards our masters."

"Bleh!" Gon stuck his tongue out. "Liar."

"Gon," he smiled. "Take care of Killua."