Blood is Thicker
Chapter 18
Once the timer on the wall hit zero second, the door on her left opened. Chrome inhaled deeply with her fists tightened as she walked into the small square white room. It's an elevator. This is where they announce the result of the Prisoner's Dilemma. This is where they reveal if Hisoka ally or betray his partner. The door shut closed once she was in. The next five seconds felt longer as she listened to her heart beat ever so slowly.
Chrome held her breath as the speaker on the ceiling broke the silence. "Your partner…had betrayed you." Her heart dropped. "You will be bought to the top of the Tricky Tower."
Her lungs exhaled as her frown turned into a wry smile. Of course he did. A weak chuckle escaped her parted lips as the elevator ascended. "You knew this would happen, Chrome," the girl sneered at herself, "but you still chose ally." Her backpack hit the wall as her body slid down onto the tiled floor. Her weighted hand ran through her hair as she came to the hard realization. "I gave myself up to let him go first." The back of her head purposely thumped against the metal wall. "I'm such an idiot."
The ascension to the top was long. It gave Chrome a couple of moments to reevaluate her decision. Why did you choose ally? You hoped that he would, too, but you knew he wouldn't. Why did you put faith in him? Her father's voice scolded her mentally.
"Sorry, Papa," Chrome muttered as her head dipped low, and her arms wrapped around her legs.
It shouldn't matter anymore. Her choice was made, and Hisoka's choice was made. Chrome had to deal with the consequences of her decision, but this begged a question. Should she trust her partner anymore, seeing that he betrayed her? The answer should be no; she knew he would betray her in a heartbeat again if he has that chance. Chrome's hands clenched into fists and trembled.
The elevator finally arrived and opened while Chrome pushed herself up. A sigh escaped her parted lips, and then quickly her right fist punctured the metal wall of the elevator. The repercussion stung her reddened knuckles, but she paid no mind to it. In fact, she welcomed the buzzing pain as she left the damaged elevator.
Back to square one, Chrome sighed as she took in the familiar surroundings. A tiny red bricked room with a closed-door and a sign on the wall. "Choose carefully," it read. Underneath the sign, there was a table with a stopwatch on it.
"Remove your current watch and replace it with the new one," the Hunter examiner instructed through the intercom. While Chrome complied with his request, he explained the new trial. Basically, it is a test of intelligence. Throughout this path, Chrome will be answering multiple choice questions. If she gets it right, she can move onto the next question. If she gets it wrong, she'll have to battle with five prisoners. Each question is one floor, and each prisoner is one floor. It seemed simple enough, but quite mundane though.
Her new stopwatch had a new function to it. There are four buttons, labeled A, B, C, and D. Above the four tiny buttons is the time. 65 hours, 40 minutes, and 49 seconds remained. Hisoka is probably at the bottom now, Chrome thought as a pathway opened up for her. The room was similar to the previous one: a small room with brick walls. There was a sign lit with LED lights, showing her first question. Chrome read it out loud, "There are 15 questions in this path. How many floors are there? A. 75 floors. B. 15 floors. C. 20 floors. D. 90 floors."
Chrome frowned at the math questions. This could be a trick question. Perhaps, there's no correlation between the amount of questions and the amount of floors. However, she thought back to Lippo's explanation. Since there are fifteen questions, each question have five enemies, and there's one enemy one each floor, that means it's 15 levels for each question plus 5 times 15 for each enemy.
She pressed the last button on her stopwatch after moments of calculating and double-checking her math. D, 90 floors. Below the question, the LED lights flashed "CORRECT", and a brick door slid open for her.
Chrome smiled proudly as she walked into an elevator. This should bring Chrome down five levels.
The elevator had no buttons, just the indication of floor she is on. Currently, it said 90, and worked its way down to 84. The time on her stopwatch is 65: 37: 41. The door opened, leading her to another small brick room with only a question posted on the wall.
This time it asked, "What is the capitol of Azian? A. Kyoukai City. B. Zaban City. C. Kakin City. D. York Shin City."
"I don't know this," Chrome mumbled. Stupid geography question. Though, she should've known it since Papa took her there once or twice. She should've paid attention, but she knew that Zaban City is definitely not it. That's on the wrong continent, but Chrome never heard of Kyoukai City, Kakin City, and York Shin City. Well, maybe York Shin City, but she wasn't too sure where it's located.
Chrome has one out of three chances to get this right, and she won't figure it out by standing there. She lifted up her left wrist and clicked D. York Shin City, since that is the most familiar answer to her. "WRONG," the sign informed her. Chrome clicked her tongue in annoyance.
The elevator doors opened behind her, and it took her one level lower to 83. This is going to take a while.
The door opened to a room with a square platform in the middle and a prisoner standing on it. Chrome approached her new opponent and put her fists up in a fighting stance.
Chrome frowned, "Let's get this over with."
"I'm done! I'm done!" Chrome grinned widely as she ran out the elevator and into the lowest level of the Tricky Tower. "I'm finally done!"
"Chrome, applicant number 100 is the fifth to pass." The intercom announced her arrival to the four seated participants. The four heads subtly lifted up to see the new arrival, but quickly looked away after. Chrome quickly realized that those who are sitting on the floor weren't her new friends. Killua and Gon are not here yet. "Total time is thirteen hours and thirty-six minutes."
I guess I'll have to wait for them, but in the meantime…Chrome's eyes shifted to her only acquaintance here who is patiently building another house of cards. I'll sit next to him. Just as she wanted, the girl seated herself beside the betrayer.
She wasn't angry that he betrayed her. She was angry at herself for being so trusting and hopeful. Chrome couldn't bring herself to ask him why he betrayed her. It was solely her fault that it concluded this way. Instead of asking about his reasoning, Chrome asked about Nen.
"So, it's someone's aura, right?"
Ever so slightly, her partner nodded, noting that the three other applicants might be listening in.
"Everyone has it, right?"
Again, Hisoka nodded but with a crack of a smile.
"So, I just need to learn how to control it," Chrome mumbled to herself, trying to figure out the basic of Nen. So first, I need to understand what it is before controlling it. Meditation should work. She needed to feel her aura, her Nen. Once Chrome came to that realization her body relaxed and her eyes closed. Chrome shifted her posture to a generic meditation pose. Her legs folded with her hands rested on the knees. Her breaths are longer and her heart beats slowed down. Her mind focused on every movement her body made. She felt every heart beat and pulse. With fifty-seven hours and twenty-five minutes remaining, she had to get somewhere with this…right?
However, occasionally her meditation got interrupted by the intercom continuously announcing the new arrivals, but her concentration quickly resumed as her friends' names were not called out. Slowly as the two days of waiting passed by, Chrome took short breaks to eat and to rest, and occasionally she spoke to Hisoka. However, he barely spoke a word to her.
Chrome needed something to do to get rid of the doubt that's growing inside of her. There's roughly six hours remaining, and there is still no sign of Killua and Gon. Her mind was unable to focus as time ticked closer to the ending of the Third Phase. What if the last thing I said to Killua was "Shut up" and "Don't talk to me!"? Her body stiffed as she came to that realization. No, I don't want that! Her fists clenched. Killua and Gon will make it! They have to! They are her friends, and they'll finish the Hunter Exam together! Six hours are plenty of time! They'll be here any minute now!
However, one hour went by then two. Now the final hour is ticking away by the minute, and Chrome lost hope. I'm so stupid! Why did I place faith in them? Chrome scolded herself. Why does it even matter if they make it? All that matters is her success. I shouldn't care! I don't care! I—
"Kurapika, applicant number 404, is the twentieth to pass."
"Killua, applicant number 100, is the twenty-first to pass."
What? No way, that's a lie!
"Gon, applicant number 405, is the twenty-second to pass."
Chrome's head picked up and saw them. Gon, Killua, and the blond were standing together by the doorway. Leorio and Tonpa quickly came after. Immobilized by the shock, all she could do was just stared at them with widened eyes. Quickly, Gon spotted her and waved at her cheerfully. Killua turned around to spot her, too.
"Chrome!"
Weight lifted from her chest as she took a deep breath in once she realized the truth. Gon and Killua made it to the bottom of the Tricky Tower. It didn't take too long before Chrome got up from her spot and ran to the two boys with open arms.
"You've made it!" The widest smile she could muster up appeared as she hugged both her friends. "I-I thought you wouldn't!"
Once Chrome broke the hug, Killua snared at her with a finger jabbing at her chest. "Where were you? Why did you leave us? If you haven't-"
"Killua!" Gon scolded, emphasizing every syllable.
The assassin clicked his tongue and sighed in defeat before turning away. "Sorry," he mumbled to Chrome.
The apology seemed to be forced without much sincere; sincere or not, she was confused. It seemed that something happened between Gon and Killua during the 72 hours. Chrome missed something as she went on a different path than them. Perhaps, Gon and Killua were together. Just as like Chrome and Hisoka were together.
"Sorry for what?" Chrome tilted her head in confusion, but shook her head and smiled at Killua. "No. Whatever it is, it's okay. I'm just really happy that you are here!"
Before Killua could reply, the announcer intervened. "The Third Phase of the Hunter Exam is over!" The door to the outside world finally opened up with bright light shined inside the dimmed room of this tower. Everyone started to head out and breathed in fresh air.
"Come on, let's go!" Chrome grabbed both Killua's and Gon's hands and pulled them closer to the exit with Leorio and the blond friend behind them.
I really am stupid.
Officially, the three children passed the Third Phase of the Hunter Exam with smiles on their faces.
Author's Note: Thanks for reading Chapter 18 of Blood is Thicker! Now that Third Phase is over, how was it? I'm still a bit worried about Hisoka being out of characters. Spot anything that hints that? As always, you can write review or message me (on FF or Tumblr!), and I'll see you in Chapter 19.
P.S. If you reviewed last chapter, 98% chance I had replied to it. Check it out at Tumblr Blog: Thicker-Is-Blood . tumblr . com