A New Alliance
The battle cry was cut short when the pins went flying. The applicant who was just attacking Hisoka fell backwards, dead.
"Sorry," Hisoka heard Illumi from behind he knew Illumi was holding his needles, he didn't need to look, "I was careless, and he got away."
"Don't lie to me," Hisoka chided playfully, "He probably begged you for a last request and you relented."
Red butterflies swarmed over the corpse at the scent of the man's blood. It was pretty to watch for Hisoka.
"Well, I may had felt sorry for the man," Illumi approached Hisoka, his limbs rattling with each step, "He was going to die anyway."
"You need to stop pitying those who serve no purpose," Hisoka sighed.
"But you're just as guilty of that yourself," Illumi placed his hands on his hips, "You've walked away from opponents without finishing them."
"I do have standards," Hisoka stated, "Well, what about his badge?"
"Oh, I already took it," Illumi pulled out a badge, "I have six points now, so I don't need this extra one. Want it?"
Hisoka caught the badge when it was tossed to him. 80 was on it.
"Who's is this?"
"It belonged to someone who tried to snipe me, that pissed me off so, I killed them," Illumi explained, "I was hoping it was the silver eyed girl, but it wasn't."
Hisoka glanced at Illumi, "Do you have something against girls with silver eyes?"
"She's been hanging around Weiss too much, besides someone with silver eyes maybe a problem in the future. I tried taking care of her at the beginning of the phase, but Weiss took her away before I could," Illumi began pulling out the needles in his face, "It seems she hasn't lacked in her training these past two years."
"What does that Weiss girl have to do with it?" Hisoka decided to put a pin in the silver eyes issue. Illumi was paying close attention to white haired girl for some reason, now Hisoka was intrigued more.
"Stay away from her," Illumi just replied after pulling the last needle out. Then his face began change shape, like it was reconstructing itself.
Hisoka hummed, "That's so interesting to watch."
"It does take it's toll you know," Illumi said, "It's a good thing I never showed this to Weiss," his short blue hair became long and black. His bulky face became sleeker. His purple skin became pale. And his eyes became large and black, "Ah, much better."
Illumi then squatted down and began digging into the earth, creating a hole that would be large enough for him to fit in. His head stuck out of the hole before going down, "Well, I'm going to sleep until the deadline. Best of luck."
He ducked into the hole, then a pile of dirt filled the top.
%%%%%
Night fell as Kurapika, Leorio, and Yang walked through the forest.
Leorio groaned, "Isn't wandering around like this a waste of time?"
"No more of a waste of time than complaining about it," Kurapika stated.
"We're scouring the area," Yang reminded, "That's useful."
"It'd be more useful if we saw where we were going," Leorio counted, "And besides we-…"
He stopped when he looked ahead. The two blondes looked ahead and gasped.
Leaning against a tree as though he were waiting for them, was Hisoka. Card in hand it was obvious why he was there, "Hey."
"Hisoka," all three hissed his name.
They all took a defensive stance. Yang activated her gauntlets.
"What a coincidence meeting you three," Hisoka cooed, "I'm only missing two more points, may I have yours?"
"No chance," Yang snapped as she got ready to fight, "If you wanna fight it won't be like last time you-…"
"Yang," Kurapika suddenly said, "Please, let me try something."
Yang glanced at him, what was he planning.
Kurapika looked at Hisoka, "You said you needed two more points. Meaning none of us are your targets, correct."
"Leave the questions to me," Hisoka almost purred, "Will you give me your badges?"
"That depends," Kurapika said, "Between the three of us, we have five badges: mine, Yang's, Leorio's, my target, and one badge that's only worth one point to any of us," Kurapika explained further, "Leorio was targeted by number sixteen, and number sixteen was my target. So, neither should be your target."
"Indeed," Hisoka took a step closer. That made them all flinch, "Neither are the target I'm searching for. What of it?"
Yang glared. She hated this cocky bastard, she just wanted to punch that smug grin off his face and get through the exam.
"I have a proposal," Kurapika said, "You can take the badge that is worth only one point to us, and we'll let you have that badge, only that badge. However, I won't let you have the other badges, so if you want to have them," Kurapika pulled out his weapons, "Prepare to fight me for them."
"No," Yang said getting between Hisoka and the two, "I'll hold him off. You two run for it."
Yang knew perfectly well she was no match for Hisoka, but if Kurapika and Leorio got away while she fought him, then that would be great.
"Yang, no," Kurapika said, "We're not leaving you to fight him."
"I'll be fine," Yang said, "Besides, I have my own questions."
"Hm? Whatever are you curious about my dear?"
Yang almost shot at him for that, "You said you were missing two points. That means you have one badge that isn't your targets, who's is it?"
Hisoka looked into her eyes, before pulling out the badge in question, 80. It wasn't Gon or Ruby's. Yang mentally sighed, but she wasn't relaxed.
"Okay, next question, who is your target?" Yang asked.
Hisoka raised an eyebrow, "Why so curious?"
"Answer the question," Yang demanded getting more irritated.
Hisoka's grin seemed to grow, "I'd rather not."
"You bastard," Yang's anger boiled over as she raised a fist, "Tell me who you're after or-…"
"Yang," Kurapika grabbed her arm stop.
If Yang attacked him, then Hisoka would counter with deadly force. He'd kill Yang.
"Let go," Yang tried to pull her arm free.
"Yang, just listen to me."
Yang turned to face Kurapika, "I told you to let go Kurapika!"
The second Yang made eye contact with Kurapika, the boy stilled and took in a small gasp. Shock painted his expression as he did let go. Kurapika took a step back, it was like he was looking at ghost. This wasn't lost on Yang.
"Kurapika?" She yelled, but it wasn't that shocking, she was angry at Hisoka. Why was…?
"Yang," Leorio suddenly said, "Your eyes… they're…"
In that moment, Yang realized… she was angry.
She reached into her pocket to take out her sunglasses. The lens was the closest thing she had to a mirror. Her eyes widened. Looking back from her reflection, was a pair of wide scarlet eyes.
She looked at Kurapika then her reflection. No, it wasn't supposed to be this way.
She looked at Kurapika. He looked so shocked and afraid. Yang had no idea what to say.
"I... I…"
Yang closed her eyes for a second, she had no idea what to do or say. It wasn't supposed to go like this.
When she opened them again, she bolted away into the jungle away from them all. She didn't know what else to do. She panicked.
"Y-Yang," Kurapika shouted being pulled from his shock, "Yang wait," he was about to chase after her when Hisoka started laughing. Kurapika shot him a glare. He wanted to go after Yang in that moment, but Hisoka might attack them if they did. Then Kurapika would never have the chance to see Yang again.
"Well, that's entertaining," Hisoka made his card disappear with a wave of his hand, "And in light of what just happened… You have yourself a deal. I'll take the badge worth one point."
Kurapika took out the badge and placed it in the nook of a tree, "I'll leave it here."
"Don't look so glum," Hisoka purred, "I'll wait right here until you're out of sight," an amused glint sparkled in the magician's eyes, "Don't you have someone else to chase at the moment?"
Kurapika gave him one last glare, before he and Leorio ran in the direction Yang sprinted off in.
"Yang," Kurapika called into the forest, "Yang where are you?"
Kurapika looked around, trying to find any clue about the blond girl, but he didn't see anything.
"Her eyes," Leorio said, "Is she…?"
"I don't know," Kurapika said, "But we need to find her."
Yang.
Gon sat behind the tree. He watched the whole thing happen. His eldest cousin ran into the forest, looking upset. Was she okay? Gon wanted to go after her, but Hisoka was there, if he tried, he'd probably kill him.
Please, be okay Yang.
Kurapika and Leorio went looking after her right after. Hopefully they could find her and-…
Gon felt immense and terrible bloodlust from behind his tree. Hisoka sighed, "Oh no, they got me all worked up."
The fighting spirit in those three, especially that girl. It aroused Hisoka too greatly. He thought if he moved from that spot, he'd explode.
Oh, he was greatly turned on. He needed an outlet for his bloodlust or he would go insane.
"I have no choice, I have to… quell it…"
Gon was so scared, he couldn't move. He didn't want to be there anymore. He wanted to get away, but if he did, Hisoka would find him and kill him. He closed his eyes, trying to endure the storm, when suddenly, a pair of arms grabbed him.
Before he could yell, one of the hands covered his mouth as he was carried through the darkness, away from Hisoka.
A few minutes later he was brought to a stop. Whoever took him was holding him close, gasping, not in exhaustion, but fear.
Gon couldn't see very well, but he picked up the scent of fish and gunpowder. Just like…
"Blake?"
Gon heard a sigh before the figure sat him on the ground. Blake was sitting in front of him, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," Gon nodded.
"Gon," Blake's tone took a more scolding tone, "What were you thinking? Following Hisoka like that?"
"He's my target," Gon explained.
Blake almost yelled but stopped herself. She didn't want anyone to notice them, especially Hisoka. She still remembered when Adam had bloodlust in his aura, and it was still nothing compared to what she felt from Hisoka.
"You can't be serious," Blake whispered.
Gon reached into his pocket and pulled out his card. 44. Blake was horrified. How did this child wind up with Hisoka, of all people as he target?
"Gon," Blake whispered, "I can help you find other targets. Safer targets, you don't need to get Hisoka's badge to pass."
"But, it'll be faster if-…"
"Gon!" Blake whispered harshly, "You felt that didn't you? The desire to kill. He wasn't targeting anyone, but he wants to kill so bad it can be felt by others," Blake closed her eyes recalling memories about Adam, "The second he sees you, he will kill you. Not 'might' kill you, 'will' kill you," Blake looked at Gon. Gon was talented, but he clearly wasn't a Nen user, "And I promise you you're not going to get away from him, fast enough."
Gon looked at Blake, "Well, what about you?"
"Huh?"
"You're really fast," Gon said, he looked at his fishing pole, "I'm not planning to fight Hisoka. I'm planning to grab his badge when he's distracted with attacking someone. He'll be too busy to protect his badge to do that."
Blake looked at him. That was possible. If Hisoka was too focused on attacking, he could get sidetracked.
"And when I get his badge," Gon suggested, "You could get us away."
"Gon, I am fast but…" Blake trailed off, "That plan means another applicant will get killed by Hisoka."
Gon looked down, knowing it was true. He clearly didn't like the idea. Blake mentally sighed. If only she could help. She could act as the decoy and use her clone to escape, but Hisoka knew about her ability. She had use it during the first phase. Hisoka didn't look like the kind of man who'd fall for the same trick twice… Suddenly her eyes widened with a thought.
So, use another trick.
Blake had some ice dust. She could use it with her Nen ability. The second someone attacks her clone, whatever dust she's using her clone will be made of that substance. If it's fire it's an explosion, if it's earth is a statue used as a shield, or ice…
That might be it. There was nothing in the rules that said an applicant couldn't use Nen during the exam. Hisoka was already a Nen user, but Gon wasn't.
Blake would love nothing more, than to get Hisoka's badge and bring it to Gon, but she knew she was out matched. Her trick wouldn't buy her much time. The best bet was for Gon to get Hisoka's badge while the magician attacked her. In that split second, Hisoka's attention wouldn't be on her, then she could use her ability and escape.
She didn't want to put a child a risk, but…
"Gon," Blake's voice began before she could stop herself, "What if I told you… I can help you get Hisoka's badge, without sacrificing another applicant?"
