Hi readers, I'm going to incorporate more Kurapika/Avi romance and character developments in this and future chapters. Please let me know how I can improve!

Thousands of grains of sand followed my hand movements.

"That's really...impressive", Kurapika commented.

Leorio's eyes tracked my hand's motions. "And this thing is called...nen?"

Gon piped up,"Avi! Move my backpack again!"

He was like a little kid who had discovered a new toy. He wouldn't stop asking me to perform tricks and constantly viewed my nen as a new source of entertainment.

Kurapika, who was sitting next to me, jokingly elbowed me in the side. "Why not create another sand storm and set off another alarm?"

I huffed. "It wasn't on purpose...I was bored and didn't realize people would freak out when sand flew towards them."

Kurapika blinked and I watched his gaze become calculating. "It was the same sand as before...can you only use that sand, Avi?"

I bit my lip, contemplating how to answer Kurapika's question...why not give a partial truth?

"Well, no. I can move any inanimate objects, but only one type of material at a time. And I can only alter one quality of the material: speed, strength, whatever because remember, I'm still a beginner."

"So you can't alter anything else except sand?", Kurapika asked.

I sucked in a breath. "I can."

Kurapika cocked his head to the side. "So why carry this bag of sand around with you?"

I didn't want to tell Kurapika that I was planning on using specifically this bag of sand to manipulate people the way Illumi used his needles to manipulate people. Noooo way I would share my nen's weak point.

"I like it", I giggled.

"That's what she said!", Gon joked.

Leorio rolled his eyes. "Such an immature teenager joke", he grumped.

"Old man, Gon's just trying to have a bit of fun", I said in a fake disapproving tone with a sideways smile at Gon.

"Hey!", Leorio snapped while he pointed a scolding finger at me,"I am a teenager!"

Gon smiled in return. "Yeah Leorio! Aunt Mito said elderly people always get grumpy because they can't relate to fun. So I do apologize if I'm causing any aches or pain to appear in your joints!"

"What?", Leorio roared in mock anger,"Yes I am overly sensitive to poor quality jokes! Yes Gon, that joke was so bad that I'm tempted to give myself brain surgery to forget it!"

Kurapika simply snickered at Leorio and Gon's antics.

I glanced at Kurapika in shock. "You're joining in?"

Leorio and Gon began teasing one another.

Kurapika said nothing but tightened his jaw.

"What happened to mister 'I am very intense ever since the red eyes incident'? You know? The scary, intense, sociopath persona?".

Kurapika's gray-brown eyes met mine. "The scarlet eyes are a very serious topic. Sometimes I wonder if I can move on...but, you've seen what happens on the anniversary of my clan's murder. And I can't forgive. Or forget. Silly emotions and friends distract me...they make me forget about the scarlet eyes and my mission. I am not a sociopath, I'm simply focused."

With that, I watched Kurapika emotionally shut himself off from everyone. Again. He seemed to be doing that more often...it worried me.

"And welcome to Kukuroo Mountain! Home of the infamous Zoldyck family of assassins!", the busty pink haired guide said cheerily. "Welcome to the Lamentation Tour I'll be your guide".

"She has nice tits", Leorio muttered to me,"I mean...what do you think? B, C, or D?"

I hummed in deep thought. "I'd guess C."

Leorio was startled, he turned to me. "No way. I think she's at least a D".

I snickered, "Yeah...no. She looks like a C".

Gon laughed,"Are you two really comparing her boob sizes?"

"Of course", Leorio questioned,"What else would we be doing. This ride's so boring!"

I snickered alongside Leorio. "Yeah. Besides, it's funny to see how wrong Leorio's guesses are. You suck at this game Leorio!"

Kurapika sighed. "Rather than snickering, why not scope your surroundings. Look. Those two in the back aren't tourists".

I rolled my eyes and nonchalantly added,"Yeah but they mean no harm to us and it's not like they'll make it through whatever security the Zoldycks have set up. Hell, they could probably not even make it through the first level of my family's security."

Kurapika stiffened and shot me a stare. "How wealthy is your family again?".

I shot Kurapika a blank look.

"Very", I gave him a simple reply.

Gon blinked and took a drink from his water bottle. "But wealthy enough that you need security."

"How very observant Gon", I sarcastically responded.

"Guys, enough, enough", Leorio butted in. He was always trying to keep the peace.

He glanced at Kurapika, then me. "Hey Kurapika", Leorio said in an instigating tone,"What size of boobs does Avi have?"

I snickered as Kurapika sent a glare at Leorio, then glanced at my boobs. He pointedly looked out the window.

"Everyone", the squeaky voice of the guide interrupted, "Please look to your right. That is Kukuroo Mountain, where the Zoldyck family lives. A forest surrounds the 3,722 meter mountain and the Zoldyck estate is somewhere on that mountain. But no one has ever actually seen it."

"True" I muttered thoughtfully. Whenever my family traded with the Zoldycks it was through a representative or middle man, but never directly with a family member, as far as I knew. I have never seen a Zoldyck (outside of Killua). But I was willing to bet that all of the other Zoldycks had Killua's bright blue eyes and light silver hair.

I closed my eyes. It bothered me that my parents hadn't contacted me since last time...something was wrong. I opened my eyes again and glanced at Kurapika, then at the other passengers.

I had to steal some sort of income so I could help my parents pay the ransom faster. Not that the measly amount of pocket change from these tourists would help but...I had to get Kurapika to ransack another merchant family's home.

I did know there was one here, near Kukuroo Mountain...the family wasn't as wealthy as mine but it did pose a threat to us in the normal jewelry non-black market.

I might as well kill two birds with one stone on the return trip.

The Kurta, along with Gon and Leorio, was looking at the ominous clouds surrounding Kukuroo Mountain.

"Man, now Mike's going to end up eating between meals again", the security guard complained as Gon hauled him up.

"Huh?", questioned Gon.

I blinked. I knew security was not this easy!

Screams erupted from behind the gate, but were suddenly quieted forever.

Dead silence filled the air as a huge claw pushed skeletons through the small brown door.

That's when all of the other tourists cracked.

"Ahhh!", howled some man as he ran into me.

"Move bitch!", he shouted. I kicked him in the butt as he passed me and laughed as he fell in the dirt.

"Avi!", Leorio chastised,"He's just scared!"

I huffed. "But that does not give him an excuse to act like a dick and call me a bitch."

Leorio scratched the back of his head in deep thought.

"Mike's only supposed to eat at assigned times", the security guard continued to whine,"Mike! Don't blame me if you get fat!"

My eyes narrowed. "So you can communicate with Mike?"

The security guard turned and looked towards Gon, Leorio, Kurapika and I as if he hadn't had noticed we were still standing there.

"Hey boys!", tour guide shouted as she waved her tiny flag in the air,"Get on bus! We're leaving."

"You can leave", Gon cheerily responded while waving goodbye to the tour guide.

"See ya'", I yelled.

Leorio poked me. "She thought you were a boy Avi! That's rich!"

I wrinkled my nose. "Well I'm obviously not shaped like a boy and I don't think I look like a boy so..."

Kurapika shot me a smile. "Shaped like a boy? I mean...you were kind of pudgy at the beginning of the Hunter Exam but ever since you lost weight well...you look..."

I raised an eyebrow at the Kurta, curious to see how he'd finish his sentence.

"Prettier!", Gon simply answered. "You definitely don't look like a guy. Well...unless guys store fat in their butts or chests now."

I beamed at Gon. "Thanks Gon", I responded. I then did a one-eighty and glared darkly at Kurapika and Leorio.

Leorio was staring at the sky and Kurapika was staring at me, usual poker face in place. Figures.

"Sir, how is it that you're safe?", Kurapika keenly pointed out.

The security guard's enigmatic smile deepened.

"Mike doesn't eat you and I'm certain that to do business, people must go inside to visit the Zoldycks. For example, what about shipments of food, poison, etc.? I'm sure you have to go inside to talk about new orders with the Zoldycks or a representative of some sort", I added. Kurapika shot me an approving glance which I returned. I'm glad Kurapika had a brain.

"If you never needed to enter, also, you wouldn't have a key", Kurapika said.

The security guard nodded. "Quite perceptive of you. But you're only half right", he directed at Kurapika,"And you...you are correct. How odd that such an average looking girl was able to take such direct, correct guesses regarding how the Zoldyck family organizes its businesses and method of communication."

I cocked my head and continued to innocently smile, but inside, I was prepping to kill the guard if the wrong thing came out of his mouth.

Thoughts invaded my mind and I was thrown back to my training time on Zevil Island.

Illumi laughed as the needle pierced my arm. 'Ow! Those needles hurt!", I angrily shouted at Illumi.

His dark eyes gleamed sadistically. "Move faster next time."

"Hey!", a new, aggressive voice shouted. It belonged to a light haired man who confidently strode toward Hisoka and I. "I need two more points because my target threw her badge into the ocean. Give up yours, or I'll kill you both."

Illumi turned to me, a sadistic light gleamed in his eyes. I swallowed nervously and clustered my frayed and almost uncontrollable nen around myself protectively but...there was something off.

I looked at my arm with the glowing, dark nen-infused dart. "What?", I squeaked.

I gripped the needle and tried to pull it out but I suddenly wasn't in control of my actions.

"Illumi! What's happening to me!", I desperately screamed at Illumi.

Illumi sat down and began to meditate. He cracked one eye open. His black met mine.

"Using the current offensive and defensive techniques you know, break every bone in this applicant's body and then shatter all the major bones. If the applicant falls unconscious, revive him. Finally, you will follow my directions afterwards to torture the applicant properly. I order you, Avi, to do everything I previously stated and remember this lesson forever."

I screamed as my body began to move under its own accord towards the applicant.

And I broke the applicant's wrist in one, easy motion.

"The actual gate isn't locked!", Kurapika shouted as he twitched.

"Calm the fuck down!", I yelped in return, having been shocked out of my daze.

"Avi?", Gon whispered as he poked me in the arm, the same one Illumi had pierced with his needle. "Are you okay? You spaced out and became...unresponsive?"

The security guard's voice effectively ended our side conversation. "Yes. The front gate is unlocked and the side door is for the intruders. They see a helpless security guard and a key. But Mike eats them."

Leorio loudly said,"Let's open the front gate then!"

I rolled my eyes and replied to Leorio,"Security is never this lax. How do we guarantee Mike doesn't eat us if we enter from the front gate?"

The security guard smiled and said,"Mike has been trained not to attack anyone who can make it through the Testing Gate."

"We can open it!", Gon yelled joyfully,"Let's go try!"

And so began the trial of the Testing Gate that night. Everyone failed until I was left standing.

"I've been using all of my strength!", Leorio, easily the strongest of all of us yelled!

I smirked at Leorio,"Temper, temper!", I mocked.

"Fuck off Avi", Leorio grumped as he stalked aside.

I stepped up. Physical strength couldn't budge the gate alone. But...what did both Killua and Illumi have? Nen. Killua used nen to sharpen and lengthen his nails. Illumi used nen to manipulate people...the average person did not even know nen existed...that's it!

I called sand from the pouch in my backpack and turned to the security guard.

"They use nen to either weaken the gate so it's easier to push or strengthen their own bodies to push the gate open."

The security guard nodded in respect. "It's impossible for any nen user, outside of enhancers, to push open the gates. Should I mention that each of gate one's doors weighs more than two tons?"

I smirked. "That's nothing if I use nen."

Kurapika butted in,"Nen? What?"

Leorio added,"What? Avi! What's nen?"

Gon simply nodded. "But Killua and his family needed to enter. So does that mean Killua can use nen too?"

I cocked my head to the side and contemplated about how to respond. "Remember when Killua's hand changed into something with claws? That was him using nen...though I don't think he was aware that he was using nen. It's kind of what you, Leorio, and Kurapika will have to do too. Because I refuse to release all of your nen and I barely know anything about it."

Kurapika's gray-brown eyes narrowed. "So how are you able to access it so easily then?"

My lips flattened into a thin line. "Hisoka."

Leorio blinked in shock. "Hisoka?"

I nodded, turned to the gate, infused the gates with nen (which was hard given how much I had to focus), and focused on manipulating the hinges such that the gates would swing open more easily and pushed.

"It's not moving!", Leorio observed,"Are you sure nen is the way, Avi?"

I blinked in confusion and then realized something. As a manipulator I could not transmute objects...there were limits to my nen. But I was using general nen and not my nen infused sand...maybe I could create some kind of sand to integrate the area between the gates to push it open. Worth a try.

I held my hand out and watched as the sand swirled above it. That was a ton of sand.

"There's sand floating above your hand and you're standing there", Leorio said with a shocked look on his face.

I smirked and visualized on aiming the sand between the cracks of the gates. I added more and more sand. Then, I imagined so much sand creating pressure that the gates swung open.

"it's working", Kurapika gasped as he stared at me in awe.

I looked at Kurapika and watched as he gave me an encouraging smile. The gates, which had been about a foot apart, slammed shut,

I fell backwards on my butt and stared at the pile of sand in front of the gate. I just lost focus because of Kurapika. Stupid Kurapika.

"You need to infuse nen, aura, willpower, whatever you want to call it into your body", the old security guard said to me,"It appears to me that you are a beginning manipulator. But you need to train. However, since you were able to open the gates by a foot, I'll lend you and your friend the key to the small side door."

I blinked skeptically. "And you would allow Mike to eat us?"

The old man threw me an enigmatic grin again. "I'll even accompany you through it. There's a small chance Mike will recognize me and not kill us all. But there's a high probability we'll all die."

I sighed. Fucking security. Security was always a bitch.

"You can't do that", Gon said,"You'll get in trouble."

I blinked. "What do you mean Gon?"

Kurapika looked at me. "When you zoned out, Gon had him call the butler regarding permitting us to see Killua. I guess he got in trouble for even mentioning the idea that Killua had friends."

I craned my neck to look up at the security guard. "Damn. Killua's family is...wow. It has way too many enemies."

"The result will be the same as if I stayed behind", the security guard interrupted, answering Gon's question. "If I send Killua's friends to their deaths, I'll never be able to face him again."

The security guard paused and said,"Do you like animals Gon?"

The teen nodded enthusiastically, hair fell all over his face.

"Just as I thought. Did you grow up playing in the countryside?"

I answered for Gon. "Yep. He grew up on bumfuck in the middle of nowhere island where the animal population is larger than that of the people."

"Avi you asshole", Gon spat angrily at me,"Don't talk for me."

Gon spun around on his heel to talk to the security guard while I snickered.

"Avi", Kurapika softly said to get my attention,"How did you use the sand to open the gate? How was that using nen?"

I shrugged. "I manipulate inanimate objects by infusing my nen into them. But since I'm a beginner, I haven't been able to infuse powerful nen into inanimate objects to get them to do exactly what I want. I have to focus and practice."

Kurapika's eyes opened in surprise. "So you couldn't manipulate the gates themselves? Or maybe that tree over there to knock the gates open? Or the ground below the gates?"

My shoulders sagged. "Hypothetically I can...once I become strong enough. But currently I can only really manipulate this pouch of sand because I've infused so much nen into it. The more nen one infuses into objects, the easier it is for one to use nen to manipulate the object, in my case."

Kurapika nodded in understanding.

"You're pretty clever", I told Kurapika, point blank.

He sent me a small smile. "So I've been told."

I cocked my head to the side and gently smiled at him,"I like a guy with a brain."

Kurapika's smile grew exponentially.