Pixie Says: Hello and welcome to Chapter 12! Hope you didn't have to wait too long. Not a lot of Kurapika this chapter, but he'll be back in the next one. We get some explanations though, wee! Thank you so much for the kind reviews and all the follows and faves! I'm happy you like my story and hope to hear your thoughts on this chapter, too!

I don't know when the next chapter will be up, but I'll try to have it out within the next month. I've reached the end of my buffer chapters, sadly : ( Need inspiration to hit me again! One last thing, big thank you to titankisses for reading my crappy, non-edited shit and giving me awesome feedback and ideas! I love you!

Onwards...!

Nikita stared at the handmade jewelery on the stall, admiring the rhinestones and beads. She knew the gems weren't precious, even if the signs claimed they were, but she had to admire the craftsmanship that had been put into the faux bijoux. A young woman sat on a stool behind the stall, giving her anxious smiles as she continued to look at her work.

"You like?" The woman asked, and Nikita nodded, feeling guilty about not being able to buy anything.

"Nikita, what the hell is taking you so long!?" Killua's voice demanded, a couple of meters away from her. With an apologetic smile, Nikita turned away and jogged to where he was standing.

"Sorry. I haven't been out like this for a while," she said, and Killua gave her a long, steady look. "Where's Gon?"

"He's trying to haggle with some seller. Leorio's taught him the theoretical stuff, but I don't think he's gotten the hang of it practically yet," Killua admitted with a sigh, rolling his eyes.

It was the day after the incident with the spider, and Nikita had decided to tag along with Gon and Killua, seeing as the two Nostrade employees weren't back yet. Leorio had been studying hard and was sleeping in today, so she hadn't wanted to bother him. Besides, a nice trip downtown was just what she needed to lift her spirits.

Killua ran a hand through his hair, looking quite disgruntled as he waited for his friend to finish bargaining. Glancing sideways at Nikita, he reached his hand forward and flicked her shoulder.

"Your nen," he warned, and she jumped at the touch. She was supposed to try to retain her life force around her body in a thin layer, which she had been practicing all day, but as soon as her thoughts went elsewhere, she lost her control.

"Oops?" she smiled sheepishly and he rolled his eyes. "Sorry," she added, showing him that she realized how serious this training was supposed to be. "Oh, that reminds me…" she began, though she hadn't realized she'd spoken outloud.

"What?" Killua asked distractedly, as he had glanced to the side to check if Gon had returned yet.

"That guy's been staring at me for a while," Nikita casually stated, nodding to a man who was half hiding behind a building across the street.

"What?" Killua hissed, looking at the direction she motioned to. "Why didn't you mention this earlier?"

"I don't know. I thought he was just a creep or something. But his aura feels off," Nikita replied, trying hard not to continue staring at the man. She couldn't see much of his face since he was wearing a beanie and a facemask. Not to mention he was quite far away.

"You flatter yourself too much," Killua remarked drily, before focusing on the suspicious character. He was silent for a moment, before his head snapped in her direction. "His aura looks a bit like yours," he said quietly. Just then, the door beside him opened and Gon strolled out, looking very victorious. Nikita didn't have time to spare him a glance, as the next time she looked at the man across the street, she felt a familiar buzzing sensation spread through her head.

"And you told me I couldn't do it!" Gon boasted, but his celebration was cut short when Nikita suddenly grabbed both of the boys by their upper arms. Killua was about to protest, but stopped when he realized why.

"-Didn't mean to scare you. If you can hear this, you must be from home. Am I wrong?"

A man's voice was echoing inside of Nikita's head, and she had latched onto the boys in order to share the dialogue with them.

"Earth?" Nikita guessed, and she thought she heard the man chuckle.

"It's relieving to find one of my own still alive here."

Nikita felt a sensation of being rushed, and she wondered if the man was stressed.

"I have a lot of questions," she decided to begin with, and Killua nodded his approval. One quick look at Gon showed that his eyes were furrowed hard as he concentrated on what he was hearing inside himself.

"Of course you do. I can probably answer a few of them. But not here, I don't like to stay anywhere for too long. The Red Café outside of town in an hour?" He suggested, and Nikita looked down at Killua, not knowing where that was. He did though, and nodded yet again.

"You'll have to come alone. I've only survived this far by being cautious," he added, and Killua was about to object loudly, but Nikita beat him to it.

"And I've only survived this far because of them. They're coming with me," she replied, and her tone was definite.

Another chuckle could be heard by all three. "Very well. An hour. Only you three," and before Nikita could reply, he disappeared as though he had turned to smoke.

Gon gave a low whistle. "He seems strong."

"Obnoxious," Killua corrected him, not all too impressed.

"So, you both know where we're going, right?" Nikita asked, and the two boys nodded.

"We've been there a couple of times. They have really nice waffles," Gon told her, almost absent-mindedly.

"This seems almost… too good to be true," Nikita admitted quietly, and Killua only gave Gon a steady look.

Though the brunet didn't notice the assassin's meaningful gaze, he still did what his friend was hoping he would do- rely on his gut.

"Well, I don't sense anything off here, so you're probably just really lucky. And besides, if anything happens, you have us. Not to mention, you're pretty strong yourself," Gon told her, pepping her up instantly. Nikita laughed away the last comment, but the rest of it sat well with her.

"Alright, so we have an hour to spare. What should we do?" she asked the boys.

"Get you a phone," Killua declared, not bothering to wait for anyone else's opinions. Instead, he pulled them both in the general direction of a telecommunications shop.

They arrived at the Red Café twenty minutes too early. Killua told them that he wanted to get a good look at the café again and note the exits. After a quick stroll around the place, under the guise of looking for the bathroom, he was satisfied enough to join Gon and Nikita at the table.

"Okay, listen up," Killua started, looking extremely serious despite the ice cream soda sitting in front of him, complete with a cherry on top. "If anything happens, you'll do exactly as I say. If anything feels off, you will tell me immediately. And if he tries to do that telepathic crap again, you should do what you did before and transfer to us," he listed out, looking at Nikita head on.

Nikita held his gaze for a while before nodding. "Okay."

"Exactly as I say," Killua repeated and Nikita rolled her eyes this time.

"Yes, sir," she told him, and he scoffed.

Gon poked her side lightly. "Your nen," he whispered, and Nikita had to stop herself from banging her head against the shiny table. It was so easy to get distracted!

"Thanks," she told him sourly, more upset over her incompetence than anything else.

"Don't worry, you'll get used to it. Besides, you're not letting go of your hold completely, so you're already making progress," he said, trying to cheer her up.

"Stop flattering her so much, Gon," Killua pointed, voice muffled by the straw in his mouth.

Nikita had ordered some mango-flavoured bubble tea, while Gon had a milkshake and waffles. As they waited, Nikita fiddled with her brand new phone. It was identical to the ones Gon and Killua had, except hers was a dark green colour.

Gon asked Killua some questions, but Nikita had zoned out and barely caught anything from the conversation. She was thinking of home, and the possibility of answers. They were within reach afterall. Would she be able to go home? When? And how?

She snapped out of it in time to hear Killua discussing how by being here first, the myserious man was coming into their own turf. One glance around, and a scowl formed on Nikita's face. They had deliberately chosen a table in the back corner. It was relatively close to the back exit and none of the tables nearby had been taken either. But now that she'd focused, she realized that the rest of the café was completely full. The only empty tables were the four or five surrounding herself and the boys. It almost seemed like people were deliberately avoiding them. She wondered if that had something to do with aura as well.

A quick self-check got her aura under control again, and she was proud to have caught herself before one of the boys.

In the distance, the bell above the entrance door chimed again, as it had done every time a customer came or left. This time, the chime seemed to echo, and Nikita looked up in time to see a handsome, slightly rugged older man approaching them. He had discarded the facemask and beanie, revealing graying stubble and piercing green eyes. His hair was a mix of brown and grey, and he was of average stature- maybe five centimeters taller than Nikita.

He made his way calmly to the table, with no signs of distress visible on his face. He looked at the three of them slowly, before smiling warmly at Nikita.

"Would you mind if I go by the name Boo Radley?" he asked, some hint of anticipation in his voice. Gon and Killua shared a befuddled look.

"And who should I be? Atticus Finch?" she asked, and that had the man chuckling before he grabbed a chair of his own.

"I am Izaak," the man introduced, and Nikita paused.

"German descent?" she asked him, and another chuckle escaped his lips.

"German-American," he affirmed, and she nodded.

"I'm Nikita," she told him, trying to show that she was trusting him as well. "These are-"

"You have famous friends," Izaak interrupted, and Killua's fist clenched suddenly. "You are a Zoldyck, and you must be Ging's son," Izaak said, and that had the latter boy baffled.

"You've met my father?" he asked loudly, and Izaak laughed at his reaction.

"Not really. I have seen him once. But every hunter has heard of him," he explained, drawing a red card from his pockets to show them. A clear X was on the back.

"You're a hunter," Killua stated, and Izaak nodded.

"I am. Now, let's not waste more time. Your questions," he said, crossing his arms on the table as he looked Nikita in the eye.

"Y-yes…" she stalled, not really sure what to ask. As she thought of something, a waitress pulled up beside Izaak to ask him if he wanted anything. He ordered an espresso. "How do I get home?" she asked the first question that popped into her head. "Can I even get home…?" she continued.

"Let us begin at the beginning," Izaak suggested, his voice dropping so the three of them had to lean in close. "How did you come here? Do you remember?" he asked her, and she nodded slowly.

"I-I think I was in a car accident," she told him, and he affirmed as though he knew.

"Yes. We are all brought here from the brink of death. I don't know for sure, but I believe this is one way we try to save ourselves. By shifting most of our lifeforce into this world, our bodies back home are forced into a state of dormancy, where they will rest and heal until we are ready to return to them," Izaak explained, and everyone focused on his words. "I was in a plane crash. That was over 20 years ago," he divulged, and Nikita's eyes widened.

"20 years ago…?" she asked, feeling anxious. Was that how long she would have to wait?

"Indeed. I chose not to go back," he told her, dismissing her fears. "I must've spent close to a year in this world before my body on Earth was ready to receive me again. When the time came, I realized that my life at home was boring. My body would never fully heal, and there were less limitations on what it could do here. I chose this universe," he said softly.

"But, why did I come here at all? I mean, to this particular place? Why did I end up in York Shin?" she asked. She had to wait for a reply as the waitress returned with his warm drink.

"There's a theory that the place you end up in relates to the accumulation of nen in the area…" he began, taking small sips from his cup. "If a particularly powerful nen user releases some of his aura in, say, an attack, or if a large number of outstanding nen users show up in the same area… that might draw your life force towards them. And with the auction showing up, there are many powerful people showing up," he added, looking grim.

"Nikita, there aren't many of us left alive. You must have noticed by now, but our powers are strong and sought after. It is incredible that you have survived this long, and I can only guess it is thanks to your dedicated friends. I myself was saved by a hunter when I first came here," he continued, his voice turning sad as he thought about his saviour. "I need to warn you that there are men who seek people like us, people from Earth. Stay close to your friends and wait until you can go back home. I don't know how long that will take- it could be anywhere from some weeks to a few years. When you're confronted with your choice, make a decision that sits right with you, because you cannot change your mind," he warned, taking the final sip from his coffee and standing up.

Nikita had so many more questions, but she realized he was getting antsy. Grabbing some jennies from his pockets, he placed the correct amount on the table before giving her a shallow bow. "We will see each other again. I'm sure. But like I said, I have to be cautious and I can't remain anywhere for too long. Stay alive," he told her, before nodding at the two boys beside her and making his way out of the shop.

A tense silence followed after the man's leave. Gon was shuffling uncomfortably next to Nikita and Killua was deep in thought. Slowly, Nikita lowered her head down until she caught the straw of her bubble tea between her lips. Her hands were shaking in anticipation, so she hid them from view as she took slow, long sips.

"He can't just leave us hanging like that!" Killua complained suddenly, bringing the other two back to the present. "There was so much I wanted to ask! Like how come you guys have so much nen available to be used like this, and what he meant by his body not fully healing and gah!" he ran a hand through his hair impatiently.

"Well, surviving a plane crash is incredible in itself. I doubt normal person here would make it in a blimp accident…" Nikita responded, but her eyebrows furrowed as she spoke. What did that mean in regards to her body? Was that what Killua was getting at? "I can't lose faith now," she announced, more as a reassurance to herself. "I know I can go back now, and as unsettling as it is that I have to sit around and wait until it's time, it's still a start. I'll just have to be patient until the pieces fall into place back home," she told them, and Killua rolled his eyes.

"You're not just gonna sit around and wait. Did you forgot what he said at the end? There are people after your kind. It's not going to be a walk in the park," he warned her, and she nodded.

"Yeah, but I have you guys, so I'm not too worried," she said with a shy smile. That had Gon smiling, too.

"But, Nikita, are you really going to go back? What about us?" Gon asked, eyes slowly becoming downcast. Nikita felt her heart drop into her stomach as she saw her friend become saddened.

"You're important to me, all of you. But I have to go back, Gon. My dad's a mess and I'm the only family he has left. I'm the only one who can take care of him," she explained softly. "I'm enjoying my time with you so much, and I will continue to do so until it's time to go back. I just hope you won't be upset with me when I make my decision…"

Gon was silent for a moment as he thought things over before he nodded. "I don't think I could ever be mad at you, Kitty," he told her sweetly, and Nikita didn't hesitate to bring him in for a comforting hug. Reaching an arm out, she ruffled the hair of a slightly embarrassed assassin in the process.

"Now, let's enjoy our snacks before we head back home, okay?" she suggested when she pulled back, and Gon nodded his head vigorously, taking another bite of his waffle, while Killua muttered a nonchalant "whatever".

It didn't escape the white haired boy how much more elated the girl was acting. A smile was plastered on her face and she seemed to be stopping herself from humming as she talked animatedly with Gon about things they would do while she was still on this world with them.

And though he didn't think she was aware of it, her nen had been under control during the entire exchange with Izaak.