Me: I've been getting good reviews on this so far. Let's see if I can keep it up! I must meet the people's expectations while staying calm! (Oh no Trick Tower's next oh no how will I fit Chu into that ohnoohnoohnoOHNO!)
To MidoriEmerald13:
Me: It's actually a habit of mine. Everything Chu does is something I do basically. When I'm sleepy I pet people on the head, hug people a lot, and nuzzle people's cheeks. I like to put small details about myself into my OCs. Expect a sleepy, affectionate Chu later. XD I don't even think she's aware of it, she just does what she feels like. I'd like to say she's either the same age or slightly younger than Kurapika, like 16. I haven't specified it in the story. And I like to think she's only just taller than Gon and Killua, she'd only reach Kurapika's shoulders/neck I think, maybe shorter. I think he secretly finds her height and actions cute but doesn't notice it just yet.
Kurapika: *turns his head away stubbornly* I don't have time for relationships. I need to focus on my goals.
Chu: *facing away from him, pouting and blushing* As if I'd end up in a relationship with a workaholic.
Me: They have no control over who they fall in love with cause I do, I have magical authoress powers! XD
To DuskMuse711:
Me: Considering that Chu is a tsundere, I-refuse-to-show-emotions-or-weakness, I-don't-want-friends kind of person matched with the boys, who are the complete opposites, it should be very interesting indeed. Oh, and that question isn't strange at all! In fact, it was a really good one! It actually stumped me because I hadn't actually thought of that. Chu only did the Exam to get stronger I think, for reasons that will remain unknown for now, and I think she doesn't really have a goal for after the Exam just yet. She just wants to do the Exam, get its benefits and leave. Though… considering the fact that this is a KurapikaxOC story she might go after the same line of work as him? Or the opposite? What even is the opposite of a Blacklist Hunter? *brain explodes*
To Tanaka Yue:
Well, I was thinking of my headcanon that Kurapika can't cook then I thought of the eggs then I thought of what his reaction to these OC stories would be and the omake kinda was just born. I make the omakes spontaneously. XD Thank you, I'm glad you like it! Oh, and Chu has PLENTY of secrets huehue~ You'll find out what they are eventually~
To Arrow-chan3:
I pride myself on my stupid omakes. I purposely wait until I'm really tired to write them cause I can get really loopy when I'm tired. And I will shamelessly admit that I only named her Chu so that the shipping name would be PikaChu~ XD #PikaChuFTW #KurapikaWillKillMeForThis #NoRegrets
Disclaimer: Hunter X Hunter and its 2011 adaptation belong to Yoshihiro Togashi. I only own my OCs, sub-plots and anything not included in the original series. Enjoy.
Chapter 4: Tricked X By X Weirdos
Previously:
"Either way, I purposely let myself go. It was either me or the both of us. You didn't drop me at all, so don't worry too much."
I didn't want any of the boys to get too attached to me. I didn't want anyone to worry.
Kurapika smiled again and continued eating his egg, getting the hint. He seemed less regretful now.
"He seemed genuinely worried. Does he actually care or is it obligation? Or maybe he's considering me as his friend. I hope that isn't the case."
Now:
After finishing up our eggs, the remaining applicants, including myself and the boys, boarded the airship with the Chairman and his assistant Beans. We were all headed towards the site of the Third Phase.
Netero had called us to the front of the blimp, giving out announcements.
"Allow me to introduce myself to the forty-two remaining applicants. I am Netero, Chairman of this year's Hunter Exam Selection Committee."
"I am his secretary, Beans."
I liked Beans. He seemed nice and had acted politely and kindly when he had given me my tag earlier. I could tell he was a nice person.
"Originally, I'd planned to make my appearance during the exam's final phase, but as I'm already here…"
Everyone watched him silently, taking in his appearance. He was acting nice enough, but he seemed to have a professional and slightly intimidating atmosphere around him. He certainly acted like Chairman.
"I'm loving this tension in the air!" he seemed to be amused "So I think I'll stick around for the rest of the trip."
Netero simply laughed, dismissing our caution. Beans kept on smiling as he proceeded.
"We are scheduled to arrive at our destination tomorrow morning, at 8 AM. You'll find dinner waiting in the dining hall. You also welcome to get some rest. In other words, you're free to do as you please until you are contacted."
Killua immediately turned to Gon, smiling.
"Okay, Gon! Let's explore the airship!"
"Yeah!"
Kurapika, Leorio and I watched the two run off smiling. They seemed to be having fun.
"They act like they didn't just run a marathon and jump off a cliff." I thought. Leorio seemed to agree.
"How can they have so much energy? I'm hitting the sack."
"You can say that again." Kurapika joined in, sighing. His seriousness didn't fade as he turned to us properly and kept talking, "However, I do have one concern…"
"Hmm? What's up?"
The three of us started walking towards the door.
I didn't join their conversation. Frankly, I just wanted to rest my legs. I may rely on them during the exam, but during free time I had no obligation to hang with them.
"How many more phases are there?" Kurapika asked. The two stopped. I continued to walk without them, determined to eat then get some rest.
"Oh… They've never mentioned that, have they?"
"On average, there are five to six phases." I stopped and turned at the sound of Tonpa's voice. I was not letting that idiot trick Kurapika and Leorio again.
They may just be acquaintances, but I wasn't stupid. I had needed them, more Kurapika than Leorio but whatever, to pass the first two phases. We had worked together. If I lost them due to Tonpa's trickery, passing the next few phases would be hard. That and it'd be downright cruel to leave them with Tonpa. I may be shut-in but I wasn't heartless. [1]
"Which means we still have three or four to go…" Leorio and Kurapika had turned to Tonpa curiously, "All the more reason to rest now."
The two turned and started walking, catching up to where I had stopped. They quickly stopped and turned again when Tonpa kept talking.
"But you should be careful."
"Huh?"
"The secretary only told us when we'll arrive at our destination. It's possible that the third exam could take place on this airship itself. And it doesn't necessarily mean we'll be contacted at 8 AM."
"Huh? Are you serious?"
"Hmm, that does make sense…"
He did bring up some good points, but I still didn't believe it. He was just trying to trick us out of rest. And the two boys were believing him.
Deciding my neutral façade wasn't working, I walked up in between the two boys and gave Tonpa a warning glare. Warning him outright that if my two companions suffered because of him that he would be in deep trouble. [2]
Tonpa gulped, seeming to get nervous under my gaze, but didn't back down.
"You might wake up to discover that the exam has already ended. If you plan to make it to the next phase, don't let yourself relax on this airship."
Both males seemed to be taking it under consideration, Leorio cursing outright.
"Well, that was some good advice. Thanks." Leorio smiled and turned, heading towards the door again.
"We shall bear that in mind." Kurapika replied curtly, joining Leorio.
I snorted and turned, giving Tonpa the cold shoulder as I followed my companions. I didn't trust him. And if these two failed because of him…
"Let's all do our best." I heard him call cheerfully. I sighed and caught up to Kurapika and Leorio. I wasn't letting them get fooled.
"Do you two honestly believe him?" I asked, keeping my voice calm and disinterested. [3]
"I don't want to, he seems shady. But he did bring up good points." Leorio reasoned before stretching and yawning "I don't think I can stay up though. I'm spent!"
"I sincerely doubt that will be the case." Kurapika replied quickly. He was on the same side as me.
"I don't think the Third Phase will happen, but there's always the chance that applicants will attack each other between phases. The part about relaxing is true." I pointed out, adjusting my hood absentmindedly as we walked.
"What do we do? Stay up all night then?" Leorio asked. He was obviously displeased with the thought of no sleep.
"That's ridiculous, Leorio-san. But I do think we should be on guard."
We stopped by a set of windows and leant against the wall, looking out at the stars. No one else was around.
"How can we rest and be on guard?" Leorio asked again, slumping down and sitting on the floor. Kurapika and I joined him. Before I could answer, I was interrupted by Leorio falling asleep and snoring, drool starting to drip from his mouth.
Kurapika smiled softly and turned to me, shrugging slightly, "I guess Leorio gave up trying to stay awake?"
"Didn't even last five minutes." I pointed out, stretching as I faced the Kurta, "I was about to say that we could take turns resting. One of us is on guard while the other two rest. I guess Leorio-san was way ahead of me."
The blond chuckled and looked out of the windows lining the airship exterior, responding with a quiet "I guess so."
The two of us stayed silent for awhile. Glancing at Kurapika out of the corner of my eye, I could see his eyes grow heavy. Deciding to speak up, I turned to him fully and nudged him.
"You can rest too, you know. I can stay up by myself."
"It would be rude to leave you by yourself." He responded, smiling at me. I huffed and turned away, frowning.
"I can take care of myself just fine! You need sleep more than I do!"
I didn't look to see his reaction, being stubborn. I knew I was being rude but I felt as if I was letting Kurapika get close to me. I needed to push him away. He was an acquaintance, someone I was working with to pass the Hunter Exam. He wasn't my friend at all!
Why was I even here right now? I should be getting some sleep and eating as much as I can at the dining hall. I didn't need to be here babysitting Kurapika and Leorio.
"They may not be my friends, but I need to still look out for them." I reasoned, getting upset with myself, "Kurapika-san, especially, took care of me through the first few phases. It's fine to push them away and not be their friend, but I need to take care of them and repay Kurapika for what he's done."
I kept contradicting and arguing with myself as I stared out of the window. Soon, I felt my eyes grow heavy. Debating about my relationship with Kurapika and the others was making me sleepy.
Closing my eyes, I felt my body relax fully. Next thing I know, my consciousness has left me.
No one's POV [4]
Kurapika stared out the window, feeling a bit baffled.
At first, he had regarded Chu with politeness. He helped him when he fell and didn't fuss too much when the younger boy acted a bit rude towards him. In those situations, Kurapika simply put the rudeness down to shyness and embarrassment. Chu seemed like a quiet and polite person.
Over time, Kurapika began to feel kindness towards his new companion. Helping Chu whenever he needed it, Kurapika treated Chu like Gon, Leorio and even Killua. Though Kurapika acted only out of politeness at first, Chu seemed to grow on him. Kurapika never intended to make friends, but here he was. He started to consider Chu a friend as well, despite the occasional rudeness.
His behaviour was what baffled Kurapika. Chu seemed to be kind and polite one moment, then rude and fenced-off the next. He also didn't seem to display any emotion, keeping his face blank whenever he could. There were brief moments when Kurapika would see relief or frustration leak out only to be erased again. Chu's bipolar-like attitude confused the Kurta boy. It was obvious Chu was a nice person and cared about the people he was around. But it was also obvious that he never trusted anyone fully and was suspicious of everyone, keeping himself away from others.
"Did something happen to him?" Kurapika mused, considering many reasons for Chu's behaviour, "There has to be a reason for his distrust."
Kurapika decided not to push it too far. He considered Chu a friend, but it was obvious Chu refused to consider Kurapika his friend. He wasn't close enough to the boy to ask him anything personal.
Getting worried due to Chu's elongated silence, Kurapika turned to ask if anything was wrong. Chu had dozed off, leaning back against the wall. No noise came out of him, his mouth parted slightly with a small amount of drool dripping out. It was nothing compared to the oldest of them though. Leorio continued to snore loudly and had unintentionally begun to lean on the younger boy, drool dripping onto the top of Chu's hood. Chu, surprisingly, didn't seem at all bothered by Leorio's weight or drool and simply continued to sleep peacefully.
Kurapika couldn't help but smile at the sight. Chu, for once, held emotion on his face and looked peaceful instead of his usual tense, suspicious, neutral composure. That, and the sight of the two was beyond adorable. They resembled siblings almost.
Kurapika sighed quietly and faced the windows again, relaxing himself. He was tired after the first two phases, but didn't want to leave them completely defenceless in the middle of a corridor. Deciding a little sleep wouldn't hurt, Kurapika closed his eyes and relaxed further. No one was around. Everyone was probably off resting as well. Resting like this wouldn't harm anyone, right?
And with that, Kurapika dozed off as well, unintentionally joining Leorio by leaning on Chu.
Back to Chu's POV
When I opened my eyes, it was light outside. It was morning.
My body was racked with shivers. The nightmare I had just had was vivid and was worse than all of my other ones.
"Did you rest well, miss?"
Turning my head slightly, I glanced at Beans. He seemed to have been walking past and was smiling at me.
"Considering the circumstances, yes." I yawned quietly as I responded, "Thank you, Beans-san."
"Think nothing of it."
A thought popped into my head and I frowned slightly, looking at Beans suspiciously.
"How did you know my gender?"
Beans continued to smile as he responded cheerfully.
"You gave us your details when you registered for the exam, Reiki-san. That, and your feminine facial features are apparent when your hood is down." He pointed out, continuing to act kindly.
I raised an eyebrow and glanced upward. Indeed, my hood was down. My teal bangs were messy and my cream-coloured beanie had slipped off as well, revealing the rest of my long hair, tied up in a bun. I also discovered that, sometime during the night, Kurapika and Leorio had both leaned on me. I currently couldn't move my body at all.
I glanced at Beans awkwardly and he just shrugged slightly and continued on your way. His last words being "You should wake your companions soon. It is nearly 8 AM."
"Thank you again!" I called out after him before attempting to wriggle my way out of the pile I was in. Freeing my head and arms, I quickly neatened my hair, put my beanie back on then pulled my hood back up, effectively hiding my features again.
Next step: wake up Leorio and Kurapika.
Deeming that Kurapika was the lighter sleeper of the two, I placed a hand on his shoulder and shook while calling his name softly. Not even a few shakes in, I felt Kurapika lift his head off my shoulder. Murmuring sleepy nonsense softly, the boy's brownish-gray eyes opened halfway and glanced up at me. Blinking, Kurapika got off me completely, stretching and yawning quietly. He then gave me his full attention, instantly awake.
"Good morning, Chu-san. I apologize for falling asleep on you." He seemed a bit embarrassed about it. I shrugged, as best as I could with Leorio on me, and responded.
"It's fine. You needed the rest. Good morning to you too."
Kurapika looked at Leorio then back at me, an amused smile quickly emerging.
"Do you need any help?"
I glanced at Leorio, who was dead to the world, then back at Kurapika.
"Yes please."
Kurapika quickly joined me as we started shaking Leorio and calling his name. Unlike Kurapika, who was up and awake in an instant, Leorio was impossible to wake up.
"This isn't working." Kurapika muttered before sighing and giving up on being nice, pushing Leorio roughly. The male instantly fell off me and collided with the floor.
And didn't wake up.
I sighed, getting frustrated. I got up and stretched my limbs as Kurapika continued to attempt to wake up Leorio.
A moment later, Beans' voice echoed over the loud speaker.
"I apologise for the long wait. The airship will soon arrive at its destination."
It must be 8 AM.
As if on cue, Leorio snapped up and yawned obnoxiously, stretching and nearly whacking Kurapika in the process.
"Morning guys! Are we there yet?"
My eye twitched as I forced myself to stay calm. Leorio didn't mean to be obnoxious. It was just how he was.
"Nearly."
"Look!" Getting up, Leorio strode over to the windows and looked outside, pointing out, "Is that where we're heading?"
Kurapika and I joined him at the windows. The only distinguishable thing in sight was a large, bare-looking tower.
"Great deduction skills, Leorio-san. It's the only thing we're heading towards."
"No need to be snappy, Chu!"
"You drooled on me in your sleep, I have every right to be snappy."
"You were drooling too, Chu-san."
"You're not helping."
Everyone had gathered on top of the bare tower after the airship landed. Gon and Killua quickly joined us as we surveyed the area. Everyone seemed confused as to why we had arrived at such a bare place.
Beans stood in front of us and cleared his throat, directing everyone's attention to him.
"Everyone, the exam's Third Phase will begin here, at the top of Trick Tower."
"Trick Tower?"
"To pass this phase, you must reach the tower's base alive. The time limit is seventy-two hours. With that, we will now begin the Third Phase. I will pray for your success."
Everyone glance around, Leorio muttering "No way." in disbelief. It seemed simple. Climb down a bare tower within seventy-two hours. Easy, right?
"When is the Hunter Exam ever easy?" I thought as I double-checked the surroundings. Nothing suspicious was around.
Beans boarded the airship and within seconds it took off, leaving us here. Beans' voice echoed through the loud speaker.
"Best of luck to everyone!"
The five of us had wandered towards the side and looked down, gauging the height of the tower.
"Are we supposed to climb down?" Leorio asked no one in particular.
"That would be suicide…" Kurapika trailed off. A laugh cut off any other answer.
"Maybe for a normal person." We turned and looked at the owner of the voice, #86. He seemed buff. Cutting through us, he climbed over the ledge and started making his way down.
"But a top-class rock climber can handle this, no problem."
We watched him climb down at a steady pace, Killua letting out a "Wow…"
"He's going down pretty fast." Gon stated, watching with interest.
A loud flapping noise echoed through the silent air, getting closer and louder. Everyone turned to try and find the source, the climber pausing as well to see what was going on. Looking down as screeches started to call out, I saw massive red bird creatures with human-like faces and arms start to swarm the climber.
The man was quickly grabbed and taken away, muffled cried for help ringing out. Everyone was shocked at what had just occurred.
"I see why it's called Trick Tower now…" I mumbled, speaking to no one in particular. Leorio seemed the most shaken.
"G-Guess we can't climb down the side…"
"Yeah."
Everyone quickly went about finding other paths, tapping on the ground and looking over the edges. I had split up from the four boys, determined to find a path by myself. I didn't want to rely on them and increase my debt to them.
"I see you're no longer relying on those other applicants, little boy."
I turned to see a brawny man smirking down at me. He was twice my height, with sharp teeth and pale skin. His spiky blond hair shined in the sun and his green eyes glared down at me. He seemed confident and cocky and definitely seemed too muscularly for his own good. [5]
"What do you mean?" I asked, forcing myself not to seem irritated with this cocky applicant.
"The loud mouth with the briefcase and the blond know-it-all. You're not with them anymore?"
"We split up for a bit. Mind your own business." I responded, turning to walk away.
"I'm just glad the little gay ass shota isn't depending on older men anymore. Had enough of your sugar daddies?"
His voice was purposely jeering me on, aiming to insult both myself and my companions.
And for once, my anger was actually showing.
"Want to repeat that?" I responded, getting defensive. Insulting me was one thing, I was used to that, but insulting two people who had nothing to do with this was another. Kurapika and Leorio didn't deserve it.
His smirk increased as he leaned forward, getting in my face.
"Listen rookie. No one wants a weak ass shota clinging to them during something as important as the Hunter Exam. Your senpais, those 'friends' of yours, will end up dumping your sweet behind. They're the reason you're here right now. Are ya going to repay them? You should be grateful they haven't ditched you yet."
I stood my ground, letting my calm façade slip. I was pissed. But moreover, I was actually getting concerned. Because, besides the insults and innuendos, I knew he was right. I did rely on Kurapika and Leorio a lot, more than I intended. If I didn't pay them back, would they leave me?
"What are you talking about?" I scolded myself, attempting to calm down, "You're the one who didn't want to make friends! You're the one distancing yourself from them! If they leave you, that's what you wanted! Why does it matter?"
Seeming satisfied, the older man flicked me in the forehead and strode off smirking. Calling over his shoulder, his loud voice gained a lot of attention.
"Maybe you should distance yourself more? Maybe then you won't be such a burden, little boy!"
"It matters because it bothers me. I don't want to burden anyone anymore." I thought, realising things one at a time, "Even if they're not my friends, they deserve better than someone like me dragging them down. I need to repay them, maybe distancing myself is the way?"
"Chu! Over here!"
Forcing my emotions down, I turned and looked over. Gon, Killua, Kurapika and Leorio had joined together again and were looking at me. Gon had been the one to yell and was waving his arms with a smile, hoping to get my attention.
I sighed and wandered over, trying to get those man's words out of my head. He was only trying to make me upset. I didn't need distractions. [6]
"What is it?" I asked calmly upon walking up to them.
"We found the way out." Killua started, placing his hands on his waist with a smirk, "We figured we should let you know."
"There are five trap doors around! We can get through the tower together by flipping the stones!" Gon smiled, pointing around at the doors.
"Only one can go through a door at a time and the doors can only be used once. They may be traps as well." Kurapika pointed out, "We'll need to split up."
I nodded, listening to everything they were saying.
"Gon and I decided that we're each going to choose a door."
"No hard feelings if one of us springs a trap!"
Gon and Killua continued to smile, acting without a care in the world. They were acting as if springing traps didn't matter.
"What are you guys gonna do?" Gon asked and I tensed. What was I gonna do?
"Listen rookie. No one wants a weak ass shota clinging to them during something as important as the Hunter Exam."
I frowned and looked away, considering things.
"Maybe you should distance yourself more? Maybe then you won't be such a burden, little boy!"
"I can live with that. Luck is part of the game…" Leorio smiled confidently. Kurapika quickly added a "I have no objection." to the mix.
"What about you, Chu?" Gon asked me before tilting his head confused, "What's wrong? You're frowning…"
I snapped back out of my thoughts and forced my blank face back. Turning slightly away from the group, I responded in a cold, calm voice.
"Actually, I found something interesting over there. I want to check it out first. I'll come back and flip the fifth door if nothing comes up." I was purposely reacting coldly. I was lying, sure, but I didn't want to travel with them for this phase. I needed to be by myself.
"They're not my friends and I am NOT a burden!"
"Are you sure, Chu-san?" Kurapika asked, looking a bit concerned. I turned and stormed off, calling over my shoulder, "I'm sure!"
"I don't need them! I don't need anybody! I won't rely on them anymore!"
I was frustrated. I was embarrassed. I wasn't going to admit either of the two.
"I don't need friends!"
"Maybe I should go back…" I thought, frustrated as I wandered around. It had been a few minutes and I couldn't find any other exits. I didn't want to admit defeat and rely on the boys more but, so far, those trapdoors were the only way to go.
Glancing out of the corner of my eye, I could see the man from before smirking at me. He was fiddling with a wad of jenny in his hand. Where had he gotten the money?
Realisation struck me as I paled.
"He tricked me! He purposely made me question myself!"
I turned to where the trapdoors were only to spot Tonpa grinning at me victoriously as he flipped the last trapdoor.
I wasn't joining the boys any time soon.
I turned to where the man was and glared. He simply waved his wad of jenny at me while mouthing the words "Better luck next year rookie~" as he flipped a trapdoor of his own.
"Tonpa must've paid him to trip me up. How could I be so stupid!?" I growled to myself as I wandered around, trying to find another way into the tower.
"I know I wanted to distance myself from the guys but I didn't want to fail the Exam because of it! How could I let myself be deceived by Tonpa-san and a stranger of all people!?"
I frowned and flopped onto the ground, taking a break from my wandering to calm myself down.
"I really do rely on them, don't I…?"
It had been almost half an hour and I couldn't find another way in.
By the time I had calmed down and started thinking properly again all of the doors had been used. Other applicants that were stranded up here like me had attempted to go down the sides again only to meet their deaths. Now it was only me left up here.
"I underestimated the Hunter Exam. I knew it was hard but… it seems as if I can't pass even one phase without help! I only got this far because of the boys!"
I was frustrated with myself. I was frustrated with the Exam. I was frustrated with everything. I was definitely much calmer than before but my anger still showed. I was being left behind.
"I really am a burden, aren't I…?" I muttered to myself, getting up and walking around. I couldn't even get past one phase by myself. Talk about incompetent.
While walking, I spotted something that nobody had noticed before. In the centre of the tower, a panel had been pushed down slightly. Walking over and inspecting it, I realised it resembled the trapdoors.
"That… wasn't there before."
Deciding it was my only chance, I cautiously stepped onto the panel. Next thing I know, the door flips and I'm falling into a dark room. Hitting the ground hard, I laid there for a moment before getting up and realising what had just happened.
I had triggered a trapdoor.
I was in the tower.
I still had a chance.
All of my worry and frustration washed away with a sense of relief. Barely keeping my happiness off my face, I scanned the room. It was a blank, brick room with only a small, wooden pedestal inside of it and a speaker.
And on that pedestal was a gun.
I walked over and picked up the black revolver, checking it out carefully. There was no safety; however, there were foam bullets in the chamber instead of real ones.
"What is this?" I asked myself, placing the gun back onto the pedestal and backing away slightly.
"Welcome applicant #355."
"Who's there?" I made my voice threatening as I scanned the room. No one was here besides me.
"My name is Lippo. I'm the prison warden here as well as the Third Phase examiner. It's nice to meet you~!"
I spun and faced the speaker, deducing that that was where the voice was coming from.
"Don't mess with me. Why am I here?"
"Simple. Throughout this prison, multiple paths have been made. When all of the paths have been taken, this path becomes available. Welcome to the Roulette Path!"
"No wonder that trapdoor wasn't there before. It's a last resort. It only became active when I was the last one of the top."
I frowned, glancing at the gun. Did he mean Russian Roulette?
"Roulette Path?"
"Uh-huh. To clear this tower, you must complete a path. The Roulette Path is like a second chance for applicants who failed to enter a normal path."
"What do I do here?"
"Simple. Play Russian Roulette."
I glanced at the gun then back at the speaker.
"There has to be a catch."
I heard a laugh on his end before he responded.
"I suppose I should explain fully."
I picked up the gun again and listened to his explanation carefully.
"On each of those bullets is the name of a normal path. Simply spin the chamber, point at your head, and shoot. The gun only fires at random, however. So continue shooting until you get a random bullet. Whatever path is on the bullet is the path I'll send you to. Understood?"
"I knew there was a catch. I could get stuck with Hisoka for all I know. Or that other man. Or that guy with the needles, Gittarackur or whatever his name is."
"I understand."
Spinning the barrel, I raised the gun and pulled the trigger. A faint click sounded but nothing came out. I spun the barrel again and repeated the process six or seven times until I finally felt something flick the side of my head. Placing the gun down, I kneeled and picked up the bullet.
"Majority rules…?"
"I see. That's path you got."
Hearing a click, I turned around. One of the square tiles on the floor had pressed down slightly. Another trapdoor.
"Please step onto the trapdoor. You will be taken to the Majority Rules pathway."
"Does that mean I'll have to use votes and work together with applicants who I probably don't even know?"
I didn't like this one bit.
Heading over to the door, I was about to hop onto the trapdoor when Lippo's voice rang out through the room again.
"I forgot to mention something. You'll be heading to your path via a slide. This slide has exits throughout the tower. It may be awhile before you get to your destination. Expect to be sliding for a few hours!"
"Sliding? Hours?"
Before I could doubt my decision, I had triggered the door. Falling through, I landed on a spiral slide and instantly started slipping down.
"I regret this!"
I must've been sliding for hours. Lippo wasn't joking. My body hurt from the rough ride and constant sliding. Whenever I reached a crossroad, a door would block the wrong way and I would be directed down a split slide. The slide was everywhere with multiple different routes I could've chosen. Everyone in the tower could probably hear me considering how much I was yelling.
Sliding down, I paled when I saw my slide leading to a door. The door opened and bright light poured into the dark cavern I had been sliding in.
My grip on my hood, which I had grabbed to stop it from flying everywhere, tightened as I continued to yell, falling through the door and towards the floor. Within seconds I had slammed into the ground hard. I definitely had some bruises.
"Chu!?"
Lifting my head weakly, I looked over to see Gon and the others staring at me surprised.
I waved tiredly, sitting up properly.
"Yo."
No one's POV [7]
A door on the wall opened up slowly, a bridge connecting it to the main floor appeared as well. Kurapika, Gon, Killua, Leorio and Tonpa watched as the new path formed. They were intrigued and confused. Lippo's voice quickly rang through the room, cutting through the newly formed silence.
"Across the bridge, you'll find a small room. You must spend the fifty hours you gambled away there."
Without hesitation, Killua reacted first.
"Well, let's go." He stated, smiling. But as he walked forward, Lippo cut through again.
"Before you go, there is something I would like to inform you about."
The five of them payed attention as Lippo continued.
"Another applicant will be joining you on this route and will continue to stay with you for the remainder of your time in Trick Tower. They will not participate in Majority Rules decisions however, please tell them this. Also, please inform them of the rules for this path as well as what you have already experienced. This applicant only knows what path they're joining and knows nothing else."
"Another applicant?" Gon asked, only to get no response from Lippo. Within a few moments, faint yelling could be heard echoing around, getting closer and louder. A square-shared hole appeared in the ceiling of the large room and a person fell out of it, yelling loudly. Within seconds, the person hit the ground hard and ceased yelling.
"Chu!?" Gon called out in surprise and concern. The young boy had just popped out of nowhere and had just slammed into the ground.
Said boy waved weakly before slowly sitting upright. Looking over, all that came out of the boy's mouth was a tired "Yo."
Back to Chu's POV
"Yo."
"'Yo'!? That's all you have to say!? You just dropped from the ceiling!" Leorio yelled at me, looking very concerned. I shrugged off his concern and got off the floor, my body instantly screaming in protest. I wobbled slightly as I straightened myself, the others joining me.
"Are you alright, Chu-san?" Kurapika asked, placing a hand on my shoulder to help stabilize me. I brushed his hand off, responding with a curt "I'm fine."
"Are you sure? You don't want me to check for broken bones?" Leorio asked, outstretching his hands. I immediately backed away from, holding out my own hands in a "back off" motion.
"I said I was okay! I'm just bruised!"
My leg kicked something and I turned to see what it was.
I had just kicked a dead body.
I slowly faced the boys again, paled.
"I… don't want to know what happened here…"
Gon smiled and grabbed my hand, leading me away from the body and into a room.
"We can explain anything once we get inside."
"Leorio-san bid off fifty hours just so he could grope a girl!?"
Screw being calm, I was infuriated! Gon told me the story of what had happened while we were separated. Not only had Killua stolen someone's heart but Leorio had bid off fifty hours to satisfy his own libido.
I purposely sat between Gon and Kurapika, away from Killua and Leorio. They were the kind of people I didn't want to be around. They didn't seem to notice me distancing myself from them as Gon told their story.
Killua looked unfazed and Leorio seemed scared of my reaction. I had my arms crossed and my face clearly showed I wasn't putting up with their crap. Of all the routes I could've been put in…
"It's not all bad! You're here with us now, right? It's better than being stuck on top of the tower!" Gon cheered, trying to calm me down.
I had also told them my side of the story, explaining my game of Russian Roulette and why I was here. It was true. I was with people I could somewhat trust AND I was inside. It was better than being trapped outside. Or worse, in a route with Hisoka or Gittarackur.
"I suppose it isn't as bad as it could be…" I sighed, calming myself down.
"That's right." Kurapika gave me a warm smile. Leorio breathed a sigh of relief, glad that I wasn't mad at him. Gon's smile widened.
"It's okay! You get to spend fifty ours with us! We're friends, you know!"
I tensed, looking away and not responding.
"I don't consider you a friend. I'm suspicious of all of you. I want to distance myself. I don't want to burden or hurt anyone again." [8]
"We are… friends… right Chu?" Gon asked, frowning from my lack of response. He sounded heartbroken.
"I'm sorry Gon-san, I just can't let people in straight away. I have a hard time trusting people. I can't call you my friend until I'm positive everything's alright."
Sensing that the subject needed to change, Killua nudged Gon.
"Ne, we should search the room for any kind of entertainment. We're going to be spending fifty hours in here after all!"
Gon turned to Killua pouting, mumbling a small "Okay." as he and Killua got up to search the room. I made him upset.
"I'm trying not to hurt people and I end up making them upset! Goddammit…"
I sighed quietly and walked over to the bookshelf, looking through it.
May as well spend these fifty hours doing something.
Omake:
Gon turned to Killua pouting, mumbling a small "Okay." as he and Killua got up to search the room. I made him upset.
"I'm trying not to hurt people and I end up making them upset! Goddammit…"
I sighed quietly and walked over to the bookshelf, looking through it.
May as well spend these fifty hours doing something.
Looking through the bookshelf, I paused upon spotting a neon pink book in the midst of the duller-coloured books. Pulling the book out, my face exploded with red as I looked at the front cover.
It was a hentai magazine.
Curiosity getting the better of me, I flipped through a couple of pages, quickly getting to the pin up page. I let the page unfold, my face curling with disgust at the scantily-clad model.
"What're you looking at Ch-WOAH!" Leorio's cut me off. Instantly the magazine was ripped out of my hands as Leorio scanned through.
"I didn't know you were into this Chu!"
"I-I'm not! I was just curious as to what it was!"
Leorio ignored me, yelling over his shoulder.
"Oi, Killua, Tonpa! Check this out!"
Both males instantly joined Leorio, ogling the magazine and nosebleeding.
"What is it?" Gon asked innocently, peeking over Killua's shoulder. He instantly passed out, his brain frying.
Kurapika shot me a dirty look, mouthing the words "Look at what you've started!" as he gestured to the fainted Gon.
I just sighed, slamming my face into the wall.
"WHAT HAVE I DOOOOONE!?"
[1] – Man, Chu really hates Tonpa doesn't she? She's not letting him anywhere near her friends (though she won't admit they're her friends yet).
[2] – She REALLY hates Tonpa, goddamn!
[3] – Okay, we're back to normal Chu now.
[4] – This is going by Kurapika's thoughts and as far as he's concerned, Chu is male. Which is why Kurapika is using male pronouns for Chu. He'll find out about Chu's gender soon though so don't worry!
[5] – This guy is actually important so remember him.
[6] – It was at this moment that I realised that Chu is VERY bipolar.
[7] – Similar to [4]
[8] – This has to do with secret backstory stuff.
Me: I aimed to have a phase per chapter but I decided to split this phase in half, considering the length of the phase. I think I will do the same with the rest of the phases as well. Maybe. Each chapter should only be 6000-10000 words, maybe longer. Also, Chu's actually showing emotion for once! I think she's just tired and cranky, bipolar too, so yeah. How do you like them apples?
Gon: We hope you enjoyed, see you next time! *flailing while smiling*