DISCLAIMER: I do not own Hunter X Hunter

Chapter One: The Chase

It was raining heavily outside. Lightning flashed, giving light for just a few seconds. Thunder clapped from the distance. Two cloaked people knocked on the door.

A lady looked at the teenaged girl from head to foot as if assessing. The lady has shoulder length black hair and a fair complexion. She started to talk after a while. "Is this the house of the Normin's?" Her voice is too precise, too perfect; it was almost as smooth as silk and remarkably angelic.

"Yes." Morgan answered in her usual voice. Compared to her voice, her tone is like of a frog. The girl noticed the woman's eyes circling around inside the house.

"Are you the only one in here or is someone living with you?" the lady asked once again.

She tried not to sound intimidated. "Only me." Her response.

The lady raised a brow and walked inside she even bumped the teen's shoulder. Morgan wasn't sure if it was on purpose. She was followed by a man. "We work for the Rios family." She said while starting to touch things in the house. "We're looking for something."

Morgan can't help but take a look at the guy. He is tall with light brown hair with a matching pair of eyes that seemed to glow in the dark. His gaze was sharp and cold, like it saw right into her soul.

"Sir." The lady faced the man. "I'll begin the search."

That snapped her out after hearing those. Morgan faced the two. "No need." She snapped.

They stopped and looked at her. The leader raised his eyebrow as if she said something that interests him. That made her gulp but still managed to meet each of their gazes.

"I have the thing you've been looking for." She announced.

A ghost of amused smirk crossed the leader's lips. That seemed he wasn't expecting the teen would tell the truth. It took a whole minute before the lady spoke once again.

"And what would that be?" She seriously asked. Any form of enjoyment had now vanished from her face.

Morgan opened her palm to let them witness it themselves. A golden object carved with legionnaire's head and a crossed sword at the bottom rested in her palm. She was the crest's thief.

…..

Morgan contemplated the boats before her, trying to decide which one would take her to Zaban City. The first seemed simple, the second too flashy, and the rest were indistinguishable.

'Why not just ask?' she thought sarcastically. 'Thanks, captain genius – ME – that's what I intend to do.'

Her stomach rumbled. 'Right, getting mental. I'm hungry and being sarcastic to myself.' Morgan approached two guys talking.

"Um, Excuse me…" The two glanced briefly at her, then resumed their conversation, as if she's not of importance.

Annoyed, she cleared her throat and tried again. This time, they glared at her. "Miss, the road is wide. No need to excuse yourself," one said.

'I'm facing two idiots,' she thought. "I was calling your attention, actually."

The two individuals exchanged puzzled glances before redirecting their attention to Morgan. "So, what's the deal?" Guy Two inquired with a sense of urgency.

Suppressing the urge to physically express her frustration, Morgan forced a polite tone. "Could you kindly inform me which of these boats will take me to Zaban City?"

Guy One arched an eyebrow. "Zaban? Are you participating in the Hunter's Exam?" he asked. His companion burst into laughter as if the idea was utterly absurd.

"Come on, Tim. No girl would ever consider entering the exam. That's just absurd!" He continued with his laughter.

Morgan tightened her lips into a thin line, restraining herself from smacking the other guy in the head. "No, I just want to visit my family," she asserted, giving no indication that it was a lie. "Could you simply direct me to the boat heading to Zaban?"

All she needed were directions to the right boat, then she could leave these two infuriating individuals behind. Their condescending remarks were pushing her buttons. Every time she shared her intention to take the exam, people would either laugh, pass judgment, or regard her as if she had willingly stepped into her own coffin.

'It's not like I wanted to take it,' she thought, frustrated by the constant misunderstanding.

"There's no direct boat to Zaban City, but you can catch a boat heading to Dole Harbor. Once there, you can take a bus to Zaban. To get to Dole, you'll need to board a ship for either Lone Pier or Whale Island. The fifth ship is bound for Lone, and the eighth goes to Whale Island," explained Tim.

Morgan nodded. "So, which one departs first?"

The other guy pondered for a moment. "I believe it's Whale Island," he finally said, his sarcasm not lost on Morgan. "It sets sail in an hour. Lone Pier's ship departs at five. Anything else, or are we done here?"

Morgan nodded once more, offering a halfhearted "thank you."

'So, it's Whale Island, obviously,' she mused. However, before boarding, she needed to find a place to eat and wait for the scheduled departure time. Scanning her surroundings, Morgan finally spotted a place that seemed suitable.

Just as she walked happily toward it, someone bumped into her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't notice you," the apologetic voice came.

"The road's wide. Of course, you didn't," she replied with a hint of mockery, sizing up the boy in front of her. He had blonde hair and wore blue, almost tribal-like clothing. "Next time, watch where you're going."

The blonde teen looked equally irked. "You failed to notice, but you're at fault too. If you had just watched where you were going, you could have seen me," he retorted.

Oh, so it's her fault now?

"I am perfectly aware of where I'm going, pretty boy," she spat. "Look, I'm in a terrible mood today, and my stomach's not helping, and now you've made it worse. I don't have time for this. I have a stomach to feed and a boat to catch! So, why not try wearing glasses next time so you can see others too!" She snapped at him, turning away as fast as she could and marching towards the diner.

Morgan could hear him grumbling angrily behind her, but she didn't care. Her stomach was squeezing in hunger, and she felt like she might faint if she didn't eat soon.

The food made her mood flip 180 degrees. The delightful aroma reached her nose, intensifying her stomach's persistent grumbling. She eagerly grabbed some food and started digging in.

After relishing the meal, she paid for it and left the diner. With about an hour to spare before the ship departed for Whale Island, Morgan strolled through the bustling street.

As she passed a gathering of people, a child's scream and cries echoed through the air. Her feet instinctively stopped, and she turned to investigate the commotion. What she initially assumed to be a random scuffle among children appeared to be something more serious.

A six or seven-year-old girl was crying, her tear-filled eyes fixed on an older boy who seemed to be her brother. The two shared a striking resemblance, particularly with their hair, matching the color of a raven's feathers.

Morgan surveyed the scene, incredulous. Were people really going to stand by and watch these kids be mistreated? What was wrong with them?

Scanning the onlookers again, she noticed a common thread in their expressions - pity mingled with fear. The people around her were reluctant to get involved, paralyzed by their own anxieties.

Her gaze returned to the distressed siblings. What on earth could these children have done to warrant such treatment? Was it necessary to beat and humiliate them in front of a crowd?

"Where's my big bro?!" the boy screamed at the burly old man holding him up by his neckline.

A sharp, disconcerting laugh filled the air. Morgan couldn't even be sure if it was laughter or just the sound of a hungry sheep in the vicinity.

"Who knows what happened to your brother, boy. Maybe he's dead?" the man holding him sneered, followed by another round of malicious laughter from his companions.

So, he had allies with him.

Another burly man, sporting a maniacal grin, stepped forward. "What happens to him is up to us," he declared, and as the teen looked up at him, Morgan could tell he was the ringleader.

The little girl's cries grew louder, and the boy held by his collar struggled against his captor. Murmurs began to circulate among the onlookers, and anger throbbed in Morgan's head as she continued to witness the unfolding scene.

Morgan stepped out from the crowd, striding directly toward them. Before the man could register her approach, she delivered a powerful kick to his side, causing him to release the boy who landed on the ground with a thud. The man grunted in pain, now seated on the ground.

Gasps and comments erupted from the onlookers, labeling her as crazy. She didn't deny it.

"Who are you?!" the man demanded, his pain-laden voice revealing a mixture of surprise and anger.

"Sorry, I lost my way, and you people are standing in my way," the girl said childishly as she nonchalantly placed her raised foot back on the ground.

"Liar! Think we would buy that stupid excuse?!" a minion on the left yelled.

"Don't meddle with our issues, hag!" the boy retorted, attempting to insult her.

Facing the boy with hardened eyes, she responded firmly, making him cower under her gaze. "I'm doing this for your sister, kid," she said, her gaze shifting to the younger one. The boy's eyes softened.

"Hey, girl, why not play somewhere and leave us with our own business?" the self-proclaimed leader suggested, his smug grin persisting.

"And why not play someone your own size?" she spat back. "Come on, I'm in a hurry. Let's be mature here. Could you just answer the kid about his brother?"

The leader chuckled before stepping into the center. "I could do that… but someone should take our challenge."

"No! Sister, just leave—"

"Too bad the kid isn't allowed to be part of it. But if you're willing to take his place, that will work," the leader continued.

"No…" the kid said in a forlorn voice.

She smirked at him. "Then I'll play in his stead. How's that for a change?" Morgan tied her long auburn hair first. "If you win, I'll obediently go with you."

The older men looked excited. She could have expressed her disgust but maintaining her 'aloof' mask was more important. Morgan handed the boy her cinch bag, offering him an assuring smile as his worried eyes met hers.

"The instructions are simple," he declared, taking a seat on a barrel. "Beat me and make me surrender. Got it, girl?"

"Sure, old man," the girl saluted him.

His minions chuckled, displaying overconfidence that bordered on arrogance.

"Okay," he clapped. "Let the challenge... begin."

The crowd tensed as the match began, and within Morgan's peripheral vision, some were placing bets, clearly favoring the opposite side.

"Let's see who strikes first!" he declared, rushing towards Morgan. However, she swiftly evaded and seized the opportunity to pounce on the man, wrestling him to the ground.

He seemed caught off guard, and she took advantage. Jumping onto his back, Morgan tightly snaked her legs around his neck, locking her feet together and squeezing with all her might. The leader struggled beneath her iron grip, gradually turning blue.

"You bitch," he rasped, clearly shocked to find himself in this predicament.

"Surrender!"

It was almost comical how helpless the leader looked in front of his own crew. Morgan had him bound tight.

"Where is his brother?" she demanded, increasing the pressure.

The man groaned, attempting to wrench himself out of his predicament. With no blood flowing to his brain, he wasn't even sure how long he could endure. "H-He already e-escaped us. We heard he was in the neighboring town, s-so we wanted to use his sibling to bait him out."

"That was easy. Why should I believe you?" she questioned.

He made a pained noise at the back of his throat, grinding his teeth together. "Because you will see him inside the station jail! He chose to hide behind the protection of the police!"

Morgan released him automatically.

The leader's eyes flashed with anger. "You think you can make a fool out of me?"

This should have been an obvious outcome once she let him go.

Struggling, he called for his men. "Get her!"

Cursing under her breath, the girl swiftly turned on her heels, snatched her bag from the boy, and bolted into a sprint. She pushed herself to go faster, glancing over her shoulder to find all of them chasing after her. It was a relief that they had seemingly forgotten about the kids.

She navigated through long alleys, darted through dim corners, and took random turns, hoping it would lead her somewhere that might help her elude their pursuit. The occasional demands for her to stop echoed behind her, and their little chase was attracting a growing crowd of bystanders.

"Catch that girl! She's a thief!"

'Are you kidding me?! That's oral defamation!'

But the other side of her brain talked back. 'And yet I claimed a crime I didn't commit.'

"Thief!" The accusatory shouts persisted as she continued to weave through the crowded streets, desperately trying to put distance between herself and the pursuing group.

Along the way, she threw whatever objects she could find towards them, a desperate attempt to slow them down. The old and overused tactic worked like a charm, and the gang finally lost sight of her when the path she took split into two directions. Without hesitation, she dashed to the right, anticipating that they would likely split up at that point to continue the chase.

Colliding with a woman and another person along the way, a bunch of fresh fish splatted onto the ground. Catching the frustrated glare of the woman, she returned it with a sheepish smile and ran away as far as she could.

She scrambled to leave, sensing the gangsters were still in pursuit. Rounding a corner, she pressed herself against the wall. Reaching for her sheathed sword at her back, she gripped it firmly.

"Split up!" She heard their command, indicating that the gang was dividing to search for her.

As the footsteps grew louder, she swung her ready weapon, connecting it with the unfortunate person's forehead. A low grunt of pain followed as the person she struck fell to the ground. Satisfied that the immediate threat was gone, she scanned the scene and saw the same blonde teen from earlier lying on the ground, looking up at her.

"I'm sorry, I thought you were—" she began, then stopped herself. "Nevermind. Let me help you." She lowered the weapon to her side and extended a hand towards the teen, only to be brushed off in a rather rude manner.

The blonde dusted off his clothes. "It seems you have a habit of bumping and hitting someone," he said, annoyance lacing the tone of his voice.

Morgan raised a brow at his words.

He then turned to the girl. "Why are you carelessly swinging your sword? There are civilians here."

"I didn't have a choice," she said. Morgan opened her mouth to say something more when she heard loud footsteps and voices. Glancing over her shoulder, she attempted to run away but was stopped when the teen's hand circled her wrist and held her in place.

"Look, I admit I was harsh earlier, but I really need to go," she pleaded, attempting to wrench her hand away from his grip.

"Those men are after you. You stole something?"

"No! Of course not! There's this situation—" Her explanation was cut off by the shouting voices.

"Over there! Get that thief!"

Her eyes widened. While he set his eyes on her pursuers, Morgan bit his hand and swayed her leg to trip him. She didn't bother to look at what happened next to him. Morgan was already running away.

Morgan focused on finding a good hiding place, allowing her eyes to scan her surroundings.

Morgan cursed under her breath.

Even from afar, she could see other members of the gang near the boat for Whale Island. The boat for Lone Pier was the closest to her hiding place, and she didn't want to risk a confrontation with them.

"Shit," she muttered. Walking at a brisk pace towards the boat, she paid the fare. The crew informed her that it was still too early to board. Her excuse was that she didn't have any other place to wait.

'If it wasn't for that blondie...' She thought angrily. Then she scolded herself. "No, it was because I tried to become an idiotic hero."

Morgan found a place to rest, sitting down on the wooden floor. Her thoughts drifted back to the kids she had saved.

'I hope they're fine.'

She breathed out, realizing she now had to wait for several hours. This is what she gets for helping.

But it's fine, maybe. She can't just leave those kids. After all, the exam is only a few days away. She'll be on time.

'This damned exam.'

Staring at the blue sky, she asked no one in particular.

"What's so good about being a Hunter?"

Hope you enjoy!

I removed this story before. Now I'm reposting it. LoL.