Millions of grains shifted to whatever direction I pleased. But my ability wasn't strong enough. The grains moved slowly. Uncoordinated.
'The more limitations on the nen ability, the more powerful the offense or defense', Hisoka had told me on Zevil Island.
He nudged the terrified applicant, who was near death anyway because of Illumi and...me, with his foot.
'However since you are still a beginner and cannot even hide your nen yet,' Hisoka had sent me disappointed look. I had hunched over in shame.
And he continued,'Let's work on the basics of finding other's nen and focusing your nen into your attacks. As a manipulator, you are able to control living or non-living things in a certain way and manipulate the aura itself. But your strength as a manipulator, unlike say...an enhancer, stems from creativity. The degree of control is principally determined by a condition that usually puts the manipulator at risk, attaching objects on the enemy, touching the enemy in a certain way, and of course the larger the risk, the better the degree of control.
You can mentally control individuals with manipulation, however, in order to do so, you must put limitations on your nen offense and defense. Remember Avi, the fewer the nen attacks and defense you use, the stronger the nen concentration in each of your techniques is.'
I groaned and slapped my hands to my face in annoyance. What limitations could I impose on this sand technique that would allow it to be deadly, yet powerful?
What did Illumi impose? He was a Manipulator too...I thought back to all the time he had used nen on me.
Illumi used needles. I know he had threatened to pierce me with a needle, like he had done with the applicant on Zevil Island.
I shuddered in disgust and self-loathing. That was how I had learned to defend myself. Through 'learning by experience', as Illumi had called it.
Illumi slammed his left foot into my side and I grunted as I dropped to the ground like a sack of potatoes.
'Your first movement is always to the right. You leave your left side unprotected. Perhaps I should break a rib and pierce a lung to clearly send the message next time', Illumi deadpanned as he towered over me.
I slammed a fist into the ground in frustration as I glowered at Illumi. Of course, like Hisoka, Illumi didn't bother reacting to my angry glares.
Branches cracked as a man who had been running from something stumbled into the clearing where Illumi and I had been sitting.
After swallowing nervously, his eyes met mine. Illumi's lips curved into a smile and I could see the shift from teacher to predator.
Illumi's nen, which had been dulled so he and I could physically fight without him killing me, flared to life once more. The thick, dark nen ominously expanded.
I stood up and took a step backward, swathing myself in my own green nen to protect myself.
The applicant looked behind him and naturally, Hisoka appeared. Hisoka chuckled and with a flick of his wrist, threw the card towards the applicant's weapon.
The bow and arrow was sliced into two parts. The applicant was now defenseless. Sweat was dripping down his face as he wildly looked for escape.
I didn't know what to do so I shifted my weight. Hisoka instantly noticed. His lips turned upwards into a cruel smile as he held out a hand to me. "Avi. Care to do the honors?"
Illumi stopped and turned to look at me as well. Fuck, I was screwed.
Hours later, the applicant lay in a pile on the ground. His legs were severed from his body.
Illumi whirled to face me in anger. 'How can he attack you if he has no legs, Avi? How are you supposed to improve if your opponent is crippled?"
I flinched as Illumi grabbed my upper arm to stop me from trying to run away.
Brec and Sabie...I need to do this for them, I thought to myself.
Well that and the only allies I had on this island who would drive away any potential people who wanted my ID tag were Hisoka and Illumi.
It was in my best interest now to stay with them. But my emotions were telling me otherwise. Naturally, I shut them down and attempted to think of what I could learn from those two.
Illumi's fathomless black eyes met mine. I stared back and was actually feeling slightly curious, I was surprised I could feel anything after my emotions had shut down an hour ago. What would Illumi do now? Pierce me with a needle like he did with the applicant?
Illumi had thrown a needle at the applicant's head, it had disappeared instantly. Next thing I knew, I was fighting the applicant, who didn't seem to feel any pain, or even...be a person anymore.
I was fighting Illumi's puppet.
Illumi looked at me in disgust. 'Even my youngest brother would never show such foolish mercy'.
Illumi knew I had cut off the applicant's legs on purpose. After all, I had sliced part of his hand off, an ear, and stabbed him many times. I wasn't sure if there was a conscious person still inside the applicant's body, but all I knew was that somewhere, deep-down, I had felt the need to put this puppet out of his misery.
Of course Illumi was enraged. I had ruined his amusement. His nen flooded around me, suffocating mine. I felt like I was choking but could not find any fresh air-"Illumi", Hisoka had said,"She will be of no use to us if she is dead. Remember who her family is."
Illumi's nen immediately retracted and I stumbled backwards, falling onto the ground in a bruised, tired, and numb mess.
I shook my head to get rid of those thoughts. Zevil Island was...an experience for me, especially training with Hisoka and Illumi. I was nowhere near Illumi's level of mastery. He could manipulate people through his needles, like he did with the applicant, while I was struggling with manipulating inanimate objects.
"Avi." Kurapika's voice interrupted my musings. With a flick of my wrist, the sand, glowing green with my nen, was returned to my bag. I pulled the drawstrings of the bag shut and turned around.
"Kurapika", I responded as nonchalantly. Was I feeling...embarrassment? Kurapika's face showed no emotion.
"Seaquant gave us these lead vests to wear in order to improve our physical strength", Kurapika said as he threw the lead vest in my direction.
I caught it ad immediately dropped it. I huffed and shot an icy glare in Kurapika's direction.
Amusement, the first emotion he bothered to show, glittered in his brown eyes.
"It's not that heavy Avi."
With two hands I managed to pick the lead vest up and put it on, somehow.
His amusement helped brighten my previously sour mood.
I giggled. "Well I'm not taking steroids and don't have as much muscle as you so of course it would be heavier for me!"
Shock flashed across Kurapika's face for a split second. Had he really been expecting me to respond in a negative manner? Good. I'm glad I was throwing him off!
Kurapika seemed to be happy with my response because he gave me a small smile.
Which quickly became a set, determined line on his face.
My smile dropped too. I knew that expression on Kurapika's face.
"It is in both of our best interests to discuss last night", Kurapika began.
This was way too awkward. I preferred to not address what happened last night until I even understood what I had felt.
I laughed nervously this time. "Forget about it Kurapika. It was...just a pride thing...it wasn't because I was attracted to you or anything...you're too girly looking!"
Kurapika rolled his eyes in a rare show of annoyance and pointedly looked at his buff arms then at his crotch.
The side of my mouth pulled up in a smile. Kurapika knew I was bullshitting because I knew from first-hand experience that he definitely was nowhere near being girly.
But I had to protect myself so I continued,"It was just a game. That's it!"
Kurapika shrugged and responded,"Okay. That's what it was to me as well, solely a game."
He smiled wickedly. "A game that I know I won now."
My fists clenched in irritation. He reeeaaaaly know how to rub me the wrong way.
I took a step forward. "Nope. You left first", I countered.
Kurapika shrugged uncomfortably and changed the subject. "The reason I came to talk to you was to give you the lead vest and inform you that training with Zebro is beginning. We need to open that gate to rescue Killua".
With that, Kurapika turned on his heel and strode away. I knew he was acting this way to protect his pride just as much as I had protected mine.
"All furniture and utensils in this house weight over twenty kilograms a piece", Zebro cheerfully informed Kurapika, Gon, Leorio, and me as we struggled to lift a cup of tea.
I began to laugh and let my head drop onto the table.
"The things I do for friends and family", I giggled to myself semi-hysterically as Gon stared at me with confused dark brown eyes.
Gon put a comforting hand on my shoulder,"We're right here with you Avi! And we'll save Killua! We can do this!"
"it's useless", Seaquant said to Zebro,"They'll give up in 2 or 3 days."
"What the...!", Leorio exclaimed angrily.
"Seaquant, I believe that your shift has already started." Zebro calmly ordered Seaquant out of the room before Leorio cracked and lunged at the man.
I nudged Leorio. "Chill", I said to Leorio whose face was beginning to turn red.
"Sorry about that", Zebro said as soon as Seaquant left,"He isn't a bad person."
I knew what bad people were and I agreed with Zebro. Seaquant was cynical and sour, yes, but he was not a bad person.
I looked at the tea cup and glared at it...what if I used...I focused on infusing nen into my hand.
With an upward motion of my wrist, the cup of tea flew into the air.
Gon's jaw dropped in shock as it splashed on the table.
"How'd you do that!?", Gon excitedly questioned.
Leorio stared at me with envy and a bit of shock in his medium brown eyes.
Zebro smiled. And Kurapika looked at me with...was that admiration?
I raised an eyebrow at Kurapika. "Nen?", he asked.
"nen", I confirmed.
I looked at Gon and Leorio.
"I know all of us have nen, or life-force, whatever you want to call it...that's how I was able to move the tea cup. I focused my energy, nen into my hand and the cup itself."
Leorio pouted. "Thanks for the lesson Avi but I have been focusing on doing simple tasks like...I don't know...carrying a broom. I've been concentrating a lot on not breaking my foot because I'm dropping a broom on it. Why is it so much easier for you!"
Leorio's eyes gleamed with jealousy and anger. That was a flaw of his.
I sighed and looked up.
Gon butted in,"Some people have different strengths and weaknesses, Leorio. Avi's just better at figuring stuff out. Like Kurapika"
I glanced at the said man in question. Kurapika's tan eyes met mine. He blinked.
"I believe Avi was able to do so because her nen has been...released", he guessed.
I confirmed his unspoken question. "Yes. That's why. Ever since Hisoka did something, I have been seeing this nen stuff everywhere. All of us use it, whether subconsciously or consciously. I'm thinking if you focus on using it you'll be able to do what I do."
"Even with the sand?", asked Gon.
I bit my lip...how to answer..."Maybe", I finally decided,"But I don't know much about my own abilities yet. They're hard to control."
The nen-infused sand was slipping and flying through the door rather than pushing in between the cracks, generating enough force to help Leorio and Kurapika who were besides me to open the door,
"Try pushing harder! You've got it!", shouted Gon who was sidelined because of his injured arm.
"Uuuugh!", shouted Leorio in frustration as he pushed the door.
I pushed the door open with all my might as I tried controlling the wild out-of-control nen. My control was improving...but not quickly enough. And I didn't know why.
We stopped pushing to take a break. I put my hands on my knees and began panting.
"This will never work. You kids need to wake up", Seaquant commented as he walked toward us.
"Ever the optimist I see", I commented acidulously.
Seaquant shot a cold glare my direction which I returned.
All of us were exhausted from training. The last thing we wanted to hear was some person telling us we couldn't open the gate even with training.
Leorio couldn't take it anymore,"In that case maybe you should quit watching us and do you job!"
I nodded at him which Leorio noticed. He raised an eyebrow.
"I approve of you being able to control your temper", I told him.
Leorio smiled sheepishly. He knew he was a hot-head.
But even Kurapika was annoyed by Seaquant's constant jibes at our efforts. "Gon is one of us. And he wishes to see his friend. It's only right that we should help him."
I looked at Kurapika, I meant really looked at him. I felt a surge of admiration and respect for him.
"You're a good friend", I told Kurapika.
He sent me a gentle smile.
"it's what any one of us would do", Gon said to me.
My grin grew. This is what it was like to have close friends. I like this feeling!
My respect for Kurapika as an individual had only grown over the past days of training.
"Okay, let's give it another shot", Leorio enthusiastically shouted, now that our morale had been boosted.
"Yeah!", Kurapika agreed.
With an upward hand motion my green-glowing sand was in my bag and I focused my nen into my hands.
Kurapika shot me a questioning look.
"Trying something else", I answered.
He nodded and we pushed that gate again.
The gate inched forward.
"Damn it", Leorio cussed,"It won't move any farther!"
I groaned in annoyance and effort.
It was nearly open...we could fit two of us through the opening, but it wasn't open the entire way.
"One last spurt, Leorio, Avi", Kurapika grunted in effort.
"Got it", Leorio wheezed.
Suddenly Gon appeared to my left.
"Gon", Kurapika said.
"Why are you using your left arm?", Leorio asked.
"We're close", I said between pants,"Shut the fuck up and keep pushing!"
"it's okay", Gon replied,"My arm's healed now!"
I jerked back in surprise. Healed!?
The door shifted backward about 3 inches.
"Avi", yelped Kurapika as one of the entire door's weight was supported by only him now.
"Sorry", I quickly said as I put my nen-infused hands back on the door.
"Are you sure Gon?", asked Leorio.
"Yep! Anyway, we have to push together, right?"
"Let's push", shouted Leorio.
"One...two...three!"
The doors flew open and Gon and I, the ones in the middle, flew forward.
Gon looked behind us. "It opened!", he exclaimed.
I whooped in delight. Finally.
"Yes!", howled Leorio.
"We did it Gon", Kurapika said happily.
Kurapika and I automatically looked at one another and smiled.
That was a smile I wouldn't mind seeing more of.