Assassins and Thieves
Author's Note: Oh no, something is weird! The Author's Note is at the top of the story! Oh wells, welcome to Chapter 11 of Assassins and Thieves! Honestly, I was thinking of uploading this new chapter on Monday, but instead I decided to give you a gift; for today is my birthday! Happy reading!
Chapter 11
The main group that was following the Hunter Examiner, Satotz, finally made it to the end of the First Phase. They were guided through the Swindler's Swamp and now are waiting in front of a gate. Looking around the area, Killua and Chrome noticed that Gon and his friends still didn't arrive yet. Many participants were still gasping for breaths while a handful has their calm stature in check. It was to Chrome's surprise that Hisoka wasn't with the main group. He of all people should be here.
"Gon is still not here." Killua pointed out to Chrome while still examining the area.
Honestly, it would be a surprise if Gon arrived to the wall before the main group. "Just give him some time," she replied. "He did run the other way when he left us."
"I guess…" Killua sighed as he plopped down on the grass to relax himself a bit more. His black-haired friend joined him to with the seating, but didn't plop down the way he did. However, she was more distracted by the fact that her mysterious acquaintance, Hisoka, isn't here; Killua noticed her dismay but for a different reason. "Are you worried about Gon?"
"A bit, I guess," Chrome replied truthfully as she thought about the worst case scenario that might happen. There must be a reason why Hisoka isn't with the main group. Could he be on a killing spree? Did he intentionally slow down because of it? If so, he might run into Gon's friends. What if he did? They are completely outmatched and might even die at that point. Chrome's frown deepened as she thought more into it. And what if Gon did arrive at that point that Hisoka might be killing his friends?
"Hey," Killua pushed her disturbed thoughts away, "you said you believe in them, right?"
"Yeah, but"—
"Then, believe in them!"
Chrome stared in shock at his words. Why did she start doubting Gon? If she thought he couldn't save his friends, then she probably wouldn't have let him go. She knew Gon will come; she just had to wait. Chrome smiled and nodded at Killua. "Yeah!" Thanks, Chrome thought as Killua attempted to push the negativity away.
Occasionally, an applicant or two came stumbling through the Swindler's Swamp and finally caught up with the group, but still no sign of Gon and his friends nor Hisoka. Chrome and Killua had been waiting for twenty minutes. No one knew when the Second Phase would start; well maybe Satotz knew. Every ticking moment, Chrome dreaded the possibility that Gon would not make it. However, she made no notion or remark about her missing companion in green. Instead, she occupied herself with Killua as he continued playing with her game boy. She would be attempting more tricks on Killua's skateboard, but they're on a grassy terrain; so it'll be mildly difficult to control the board.
Chrome and Killua soon raised their heads as they heard a familiar voice, Gon's voice. The girl smiled widely at Killua, knowing that she was right. Gon did manage to come here in time. "Told you!" Chrome stuck out a bit of her tongue out of spite as they both stood up to meet up with their companion in green.
"Yeah, yeah," Killua shrugged off as he gave the game boy back to its current owner, and then collected his skateboard. "I never said he wouldn't make it."
Gon and his blonde friend were gathered round the bruised one by a tree. Chrome hadn't remembered their names yet. Perhaps she should take the time to remember their names soon. Chrome was the one to greet Gon first as the two approached the group of three. "Gon!" She called out to get their attention with a wave.
"Chrome!" Gon grinned widely, "Killua!"
"I can't believe you actually made it here," said the one with the skateboard, "I thought you were done for."
Gon shook his head to object, "Nope, I just tracked Leorio's cologne."
Leorio? Is that's the bruised one on the ground here? Chrome took a glance at the two older males. Both of them were paying attention to Gon's and Killua's conversation, unaware of Chrome's short stares. The one in the suit would seem likely to wear cologne more than the blonde one. For now, Chrome had dubbed the bruised one in a suit Leorio. As for the blonde one, Chrome attempted to remember his name. Leorio and…Ku? Ka? Ki? She frowned slightly to herself, a bit ashamed for not remembering. Gon did mention both of their names multiple times throughout the First Phase. No matter, she was sure that his name would be repeated once more sooner or later during the exam.
All conversation came to a halt when Satotz's voice was heard. "Excellent work, everyone!" Every applicant's head turned towards the gates where the examiner was standing in front of. He briefly spoke of the location of the Second Phase and smoothly transition to make a leave. All of the applicants' heads turned slowly to see the First Phase examiner leave through the Swindler's Swamp. Is he really going to run all the way back to the entrance? Before Chrome could answer that rhetorical question, the gates started to open. Everyone waited tensely to see what is beyond the large gate.
Once it opened, a female voice greeted everyone to enter. "Welcome! I am Menchi, the Second Phase examiner." The crowd slowly entered the gates. Killua, Leorio, and the blonde walked pass Chrome and Gon. It was Gon who stopped Chrome from entering by gently holding her arm. She turned around to see Gon smiling at her. Tilting her head a bit to the side indicated her curiosity on why he held her back.
"Thank you," the boy in green smiled brightly. "If it wasn't for you, I don't think I could have made it. So thanks!"
"What do you mean?" asked Chrome.
"If I waited any longer, Leorio probably would have…" Gon paused as his hand tightened around Chrome's arm unconsciously, "died, but you told me to go. So I made it in time!" His grip loosened after telling her the hard part, and he sighed in relief. "Thanks!"
Chrome couldn't help but smiled with him. "It was nothing." She grab Gon's wrist and pulled him towards the gate. "Come on, Killua is waiting for us!"
According to the Second Phase's examiners, Menchi and Buhara, the applicants were to cook them pork, and the area they are to look in was the park just outside of the gate where the swamp was. However, many of the applicants didn't find this phase to be necessary and had to mock the examiners' way of life. Chrome mentally shook her head when two or three examinees actually verbally angered the Menchi. Quite a stupid move, really. It's without a doubt that the examiner hated this bunch of applicants. With her short temper, she probably keen on not passing them. That means, Chrome actually had to try and impress a Gourmet Hunter with cooking in order to pass this phase.
So while all the applicants were running out the gates to get their hands on a boar, Chrome decided to stay back for a few minutes to examine her cooking station. It was odd to her that the grill was enormous. It's roughly two meters long. There must be a reason why it's so big. Could the boar be this big, so it can fit in this grill? Chrome frowned. If it is that big, this grill will be completely inefficient. No way could the flame cook the insides without charring the outside. So basically this is useless when cooking the pork…unless the pork is cut into pieces smaller.
"Hey, Number 100!" Menchi's voice called for Chrome attention as she referred the applicants with their number tag. The young girl looked up to the Gourmet Hunter. "Are you supposed to look for your boar first?"
Chrome's eyebrows furrowed together, thinking that Menchi is testing her and replied, "Aren't chefs supposed to familiarize themselves with the kitchen first before cooking?"
"So you're a chef?" Menchi's interest perked up.
"Not one bit," Chrome replied nonchalantly as she picked up a bowl of vegetables: different peppers, onions, scallions, potatoes, and a few more that she cannot identify. Placing the bowl down, she opened few drawers to check for knives and the utensils: forks, spoons, spatula, strainers, and a few more handy tools. Under the drawers, pots, pans, and plates are hidden. On the other side, there's oil and sauces. Wow, they are quite prepared for this phase. It would be a shame if the applicants don't even use these.
Chrome never cooked a thing in her life. Maybe just fired up a stove and place raw meat over it, but that was long time ago. Instead, Papa taught her quite the basic of cooking. But, there's one lesson that really stuck to Chrome: to be logical when cooking. She was taught that cooking is an art with science. Just think of the approach when cooking something. What would happen if oil wasn't added, or if the salt was forgotten? Would it make a difference? Just think about the process and what would it do to the meal as a whole. However, don't think too long for the food might just burn on the stove. These steps needed to be thought about when cooking; if not, then the outcome would come off sloppy and terrible.
Once Chrome finished examined the basic areas of the cooking station, it was time to find her boar. She strolled out of the gates, debating if she should say good bye to both Menchi and Buhara. However, she decided against it. They weren't here to make friends. As Chrome just exited the gate, there was a stampede of upside down boars rushing to the cooking station. Was the catch that easy that everyone had gotten a boar? Hopefully there's one more left. The lone girl stepped off to the side to avoid a terrible collision or a getting caught in the herd. While the applicants were passing by, Chrome examined the group and saw Gon, Leorio, and the blonde boy with their boars, too. Strangely enough, Killua wasn't with them. Did he have a hard time catching the boar, or was he waiting for her at the area?
As Chrome approached the area where the applicants came from, she did see Killua in a clear field. However, he isn't alone. In fact, there were two unconscious boars next to him. Chrome frowned as she immediately thought that Killua had killed one for her, too.
"Is one of them for me?" Chrome asked, tilting her head slightly with curiosity, as she walked up to the lone boy. To be honest, she didn't know how to feel about this turn of event. Should she be happy that Killua was a bit considerate and helped her, or should she feel anger that Killua might think that the boar was a bit too much for her and therefore got one for her?
Killua shrugged in response, "Yeah, I guess." He picked up one of them, leaving the other for Chrome. "We should get going." With the unconscious boar over his head, Killua started to walk back to the gates.
The girl frowned by his reaction. Did he really defeat a boar for her? This phase isn't only about cooking. There's a portion that have the applicants hunt, like real Hunters, and this "kind" deed eliminated that part for her. "Why did you do it?"Chrome planted her feet still, not wanting to follow the boy without her questions answered.
"Huh?" Killua turned around with an incredulity look on his face, surprised at the question, "what are you talking about?"
The girl frowned, "Why did you kill this boar for me?" Did she really have to spell out everything to him?
"You got to be kidding me!"
"Did you think I was too weak to kill it myself?" Chrome spoke her mind out. She had to. There's no way she'll let this event pass by her. This is her Hunter Exam. This is her test.
"We don't have time for this, Chrome." Killua turned around and continued walking towards the gate. However, the girl didn't pick up her unconscious boar and follow the boy obediently. She had to do things her own way. She's not angry about this, just stubborn. Turning around to the opposite way, Chrome decided to hunt for her own boar instead. Since nearly all the applicants were able to obtain one, she shouldn't have any trouble either.
Once Killua reached the opened gates with his boar, he turned around to check on his friend, but she was nowhere to be found. "That idiot!"
Author's Note *again*: Thanks for reading Chapter 11 of Assassins and Thieves! Did you enjoy it? I certainly did when writing it. That's why it came out so quickly after Chapter 10. Was it interesting? Exciting? Terrible? Speechlessly good? I want to know! Was Killua a good (kawaii) little boy for helping Chrome, or was it a bit OOC? He's pretty hard to write, I think. Or maybe, I'm just thinking too much about it. As always, please review and thanks for taking time to read my story! See you in Chapter 12!