Chapter LXI

"What was that?" Machi hisses when she returns inside the club.

"What was what, Machi-san?" Valtiel sighs, cradling her sling close to her chest.

"He kissed you. Hisoka kissed you."

"A kiss is harmless." Valtiel lets out a weary sigh. She has less sleep and too many things in her mind to deal with a displeased Machi. She walks past the Spider, brushing their shoulders to ignore her concerns. "You should see what he can do with his cards."

Machi glares after her, sharp enough to cut through steel. "This is no laughing matter, Valtiel," she warns. "If Danchou finds out, and believe me, he will find out."

The younger woman just shrugs. Instead, she heads straight to Niles's room. Last night, she only watched over him from the doorway as he whimpered and thrashed in his sleep. Today, she drags a chair next to his bed and sits down with a deep exhale, careful not to put pressure on her wrist. She studies his face, relieved that there are no signs of pain.

As she caresses her temple again, her phone starts ringing. Shoulders dropping, she answers the call.

"Good morning, Mr. Tavela." One of the school's math teachers, a hot-headed middle-aged gentleman.

Machi watches with her arms folded. Despite being seven hours away from the school, the problems still manage to catch up with Valtiel. A massive institution with several people involved, Mafia included, and all responsibilities fall on her. Everyone goes "Miss Eleison" this and "Miss Eleison" that—and Valtiel cares too much to decline anything. The way she closes her eyes and nods and mumbles into the phone now is enough testament.

The Spiders have always been concerned. There would always be one or two of them, if not Danchou himself, to watch over her, to make sure she is not overworking herself.

Valtiel heaves a deep sigh as the phone call ends.

"What's wrong?" Machi asks, stepping into the room.

"Tavela has had another argument with Ms. Quinn."

"The science teacher?"

"Yes, and it seems the argument has escalated to the point where he wants to quit."

"Well, he can't," Machi points out, exasperated. "Danchou pays him to do it, and Danchou will kill him if he so much as quits for something so trivial."

"I'll have to speak with Mr. Tavela personally when I return." Valtiel shakes her head, and then turns to Niles's sleeping face. "And then I will have to take his classes for myself. I cannot afford to lose two teachers in one day, and I'm sure as hell not going to teach math."

Machi could tell she is only pretending to make light of the situation with a feigned smile, but there is no fooling her sharp eyes. The problem is eating at Valtiel—and eating at her badly.

She leaves the room with a swish of her purple sash. The more Valtiel worries about the school, the more her health would decline. Danchou would most likely put the blame on Alec Niles and Maffeo Mott, and that would not end well once he finds out what is happening.

Kortopi is guarding the club's lobby, his En always active against suspicious individuals. He notices her trudging down the staircase and perks up. "Everything alright?"

She nods, beelining for the entrance. "Could you watch over Val for a bit? I'll be back in a few."

"Sure. Take your time."

"Thanks. Do you need anything while I'm out?"

"No, I'm fine, thanks."

Thirty minutes later, Machi returns with a purple box with black ribbon sash on top. Kortopi studies the box with his single teal eye. The female Spider sets it down on the table and unfurls the contents to the other. At once, Kortopi understands, nodding.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" he asks in a low tone.

"It should be fine," Machi says, mostly to herself. Her blue gaze is on the contents, on the soft texture of the fabric. "She deserves the break. She's been running herself to the ground since the school began. It's an unspoken rule, but Valtiel's health is a priority."

"You know her. She won't agree."

"That's why I need you to back me up." Her gaze twinkles at him. "She's too soft to decline the both of us."

"That's a mean way of thinking, Mach," Kortopi says with a chuckle.

The two Spiders go upstairs, creaking the door open. They both sigh at the scene before them.

Valtiel's head is bobbing up and down as she sleeps, still seated on the chair beside Niles's bed. When her head dips too low that her body almost slips from the chair, she jerks awake, bloodshot golden eyes confusedly roaming around the room. She looks at Niles and the dried blood on his bandage. When Machi opens the door wider, only then does she notice them.

Machi's voice comes soft, almost like a lullaby. "We brought something for you."

Intrigued, the younger woman yawns and ambles over to where Machi lays the box on the table with the bandages and antiseptic solutions. She leans over her friend's shoulder.

"What is this?" Her eyebrows furrow at something shiny inside.

"Try this on." Machi hands over a fabric of soft silk. "And this—" She adds a pile of something black to the heap. "When you come back, I'll fix your hair."

"Um. Okay?"

Valtiel passes by Kortopi near the doorway. She shoots him a questioning blink, but even the other Spider shakes his head in mute confusion. Machi gives her a forceful push out of the room, and Valtiel proceeds to the bathroom and lays the items on the counter.

Some sort of silk dress, stockings, and boots, it seems. She shuffles herself into the clothes, and comes back to Niles's room with her new outfit and her hair messy and unbound.

Machi has a chair, brush, and mirror set ready for her. "Sit."

And so she sits before the mirror, seeing her new outfit for the first time. It is a silken lavender cheongsam with black edges and long, flowy sleeves. It is short and reaches the middle of her thighs, followed by the black thigh-high stockings and boots.

Behind her, the Spider starts working on her hair, brushing through the tangles until it shines like spun silver-and-gold. She braids the sides of her head, and pulls everything up together in a thick and elaborate bun, held together by a matching lavender flower hair clip. Then she steps back, observing Valtiel's face in the mirror and admiring her handiwork.

Kortopi appears on the side, head tilted. "Looks really pretty."

"Um," Valtiel starts, blinking at Machi through the reflection, "what's going on?"

"You're taking the Hunter Exam," Machi says without preamble.

"I am?" She whirls in her seat, now facing the Spider. "Since when? And why?"

"Yes, you are," Machi says firmly. "You've been cooped up in Meteor City and in that school business for some time now. You need to loosen up."

"But the school—" she starts.

"Exactly my point," Machi interrupts, voice sharp and cutting. Kortopi nods along in the background. "You worry too much about the school and all that Mafia business. I already called Shalnark and he will take over Niles's classes until he recovers. As for Tavela, that fool can continue teaching math or he will regret even thinking about quitting."

Despite herself, Valtiel laughs. "You thought things through, did you not?"

Machi crosses her arms, face remaining aloof. "You're too young to be chained down in Meteor City," she points out, voice strangely soft. Once upon a time, Machi dreamed of leaving that literal garbage place. You're too good to be left there to rot.

Valtiel pauses to reconsider, but her stubbornness gets in the way. "I don't have time for the exam," she argues, throwing her hands up. "I need to make phone calls for the other teachers. And the meetings!"

Kortopi slaps his forehead. "Val, you're not helping your case."

She pouts. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, you're giving us all the more reason not to return to Meteor City for a while."

"The Hunter Exam should only be a few weeks," Machi adds. "The school managed once without you, when we were on a mission, remember? It can manage now. Shalnark will take Niles's classes, while Kortopi and I bring him back to the city. You can follow once the exam is over."

"Once you've passed it," Kortopi specifies.

"Right," Machi agrees with a careless roll of her shoulder. "Shouldn't be too hard."

Valtiel could see the logic behind their argument. She opens her mouth, desperate to think of a different reason, but then she deflates. She has no argument to present against them. And she would be lying to herself if she tells them she is not, at the least, intrigued about the exam.

Machi knows the younger woman is close to crumbling. She wants to go, but her sense of responsibility towards the school and the city is preventing her.

Still, she has one more trick up her sleeve. Can't be a Spider without so many tricks.

"Besides," Machi croons, letting the words hang, "Hisoka is taking the Hunter Exam, right?"

At once, the atmosphere in the room changes. The two Spiders notice how Valtiel's face clears from her doubts and misgivings. Suddenly, she falls silent and mulls over the words.

She sits up straighter, looking up at Machi with her bright golden eyes. "How do you know that?"

"I heard you two talking last night, and then this morning."

"This morning you were warning me about him. Now you want me to go after him."

"If Hisoka is as harmless as you say," Machi says, "then there should be nothing to worry about."

"You can take the Hunter Exam and see how you like it," Kortopi encourages her in a gentle voice. "The last time Shal did, he said it was fun yet challenging. And if Hisoka himself is interested, it might amount to something, you know?"

"I suppose." Valtiel's voice falters. "But what about Danchou? Does he know?"

"He'll know soon enough," Kortopi says. "He'll understand, I'm sure."

"Okay." She stands up, her resolve evident in her face, fists curled.

"Let me see your wrist." Machi holds out her hand. "I want to make sure you're good to go."

"Okay," she repeats more firmly, more determined now. Then she blinks at the sudden realization, frowning at the two Spiders. "But there's one problem—I don't know how to get there."

Zaban City thrives in the morning. She has never noticed yesterday, sandwiched between Hisoka and Illumi, but now, walking completely alone—and for the first time in months even—she admires the streets lined with merchants and a wide variety of trades.

Set by the coast, ships from different countries come and go, delivering their products, adding more to Zaban's already extensive plate. The people come from all cultures and backgrounds, in all manners of clothes and tattoos and even languages she is unfamiliar with.

Valtiel allows herself this change in environment. Her last mission with the Troupe had been five months ago. Since then, she has always been in Meteor City, running the school, seated with the Elders and monitoring their food and water supplies. Her Spider companions change every now and then, but no one really wants to stay in one place for too long.

Not even Chrollo himself.

Danchou spends a month at most, then resorts to travelling to catch up to his own interests. He often leaves her to her business, as long as a Spider is with her. It is not a bad deal—she needs hands on deck for her errands anyway, and who better than Phinks or Franklin to lift boxes for her?

A merchant draws her to his stall. She smiles and peeks where he sells old and used wristwatches. There is an older woman selling her country's fruits in another stall. A woman and her daughter offer a free taste of their hot cocoa drink. Now that Valtiel tries, nursing her cup as she wounds her way through the streets, smiling at the vendors, politely inclining her head when they gush about their products.

But I really have to find the exam site.

She is, by all means, unprepared to take the Hunter Exam. She has never anticipated her day to turn like this. Her mind is still reeling at the fact that she has to take the world's most dangerous exam—and she starts by not knowing where to go or who to ask.

She keeps walking through the streets, eavesdropping in conversations, picking up foreign languages as she goes. So far, the merchants are only whispering about trading, something something something about a thousand Jenny. There is nothing more helpful than that.

This sounds like a bad idea. She finishes her drink and throws the cup into a trash can.

Standing in an intersection with streets lined up in all directions, she sweeps her gaze around her, narrowing her eyes at something that might be of interest. The cold wind blows, and her senses pick up the slightest hint of bloodthirst.

How now? She smiles to herself, following the trail like a bloodhound on a scent.

She steps into an alley in the farthest corner, away from the chattering merchants. There, halfway through the street and partially covered by torn awnings and a mess of broken crates and beer bottles, her target stands poised, towering over his own target.

Almost automatic, his pins and needles come flying backwards, straight to her.

Valtiel sidesteps the attack and sighs in his direction. "Really?"

He turns around, forever impassive. "You're like a mushroom—appearing where you're not wanted."

"Illumi-san! I didn't know you were a poet!" she gushes overdramatically, emulating her inner Hisoka. She laughs when he just blinks, walking over to him. She notices the whimpering man a few feet away and raises an eyebrow at him. "Would you stop bullying people?"

"I am interrogating," he corrects without a change in his tone.

"What do you want now?"

"Watch." Like some sort of mentor, he turns back to his victim and watches him scramble backwards, away from him.

He produces needles with round heads and throws them to the man's face. It contorts in various misshapen angles. The man screeches, and Valtiel is almost afraid that the merchants in the streets would hear them. But they do not, and the poor man pants amidst his thrashing and whimpering.

Illumi throws another set to the man's chest and asks, "Where is the exam site?"

The man wheezes, mouth open, tongue dangling like a dog. "Restaurant," he manages between pants and coughs. "C-Center… of… city-city…"

Then his skin twists tighter, the needles forcing his muscles to spasm. "St-Steak combo!" he screams, desperately clawing at the soft skin of his throat. "See the—see the light! Grilled—low flame—" He coughs blood next. "In the back room…!"

"He's ordering food from you," Valtiel deadpans.

"No, you idiot," Illumi sighs. "It's the password for the exam site."

She blinks, and then goes, "Ohh."

Illumi sighs exasperatedly as his needles dig deeper into the target's face. The man gives one last scream, and then silences. His feet go slack and his fingers claw no more at his throat. With that business done, the assassin turns his heels and walks over to the end of the alleyway.

She glances at the corpse, before bouncing after the assassin. She has to crane her neck to look up to him as he is a few inches taller than Danchou. "Are we going to the restaurant now?"

Illumi's disinterested black gaze never wavers. "There's no 'we'. Besides, I thought you're not taking the Hunter Exam? You said you didn't have time."

"Well, my friends managed to find time for me," she chirps. "And it sounds interesting."

"In any case, there's no we."

"Listen, I just need to get to the exam," she insists, earning something akin to an eyebrow twitch from the robot—err, assassin. "I know we are not friends—" At that, she receives something close to a glare. She feels a bubble of triumph in her chest. "And I promise to leave you alone once we get there. I will pester Hisoka-san after you."

His steps considerably slow. "On second thoughts," he muses, glancing down at her, "keep close only to keep that clown away from me."

She giggles, covering her mouth. "You'll hurt his feelings. He seems very fond of you."

"Do we have a deal?" He offers a big hand.

"Deal." She is surprised at his strong, firm grip. He squeezes a little bit, as if deciding between shattering her hand or breaking her fingers. She gets away with a whole, unbroken hand.

"What's your name again?" he asks absent-mindedly, leading the way out to the busy intersection and ignoring the merchants and dealers offering them shady products.

She feels rather offended. Two days in, one and a half brawl, and a swollen wrist later—he still doesn't bother to remember.

"For that alone, I will not answer your question."

He just nods. "Mm, good deal. You wouldn't mind if I called you Hisoka's woman?"

She stops walking, the offense taking up another notch. "I am not his woman!"

"Oh." He stops as well, shooting her the same bland look. "I may have gotten the wrong impression from yesterday when Hisoka was constantly clinging onto you. My apologies."

"On second thoughts," she barks back, "I don't need your help." She lifts her nose with an indignant huff and leaves him behind. She has what she needs from him.

The restaurant should be around here somewhere. She sees a massive building, several stories high, rising towards the wintry skies. Only something so grand could host the infamous Hunter Exam. But then she notices Illumi walking past to her right, towards a small restaurant. She gasps and bounds after him.

He shoots her a sidelong glance. "I thought you said you didn't need me."

She opens the door first. "I don't," she confirms and steps into the warm restaurant.

An immediate scent of frying meat invades her senses. Her stomach automatically grumbles, as the older gentleman at the counter nods his greeting to them. Wearing a chef's hat and uniform, he tosses ingredients into the air and catches them with his searing pan. The oil hisses, and the scent of ingredients and species wafts deliciously in the air.

"Is the back room available?" Illumi asks, going straight to the point.

"What can I get you?" The chef tosses more spices, and Valtiel's mouth instantly salivates.

"A steak combo. One—" Illumi reconsiders. "Two orders, if you please."

"Of course," the chef hums. "How would you like that cooked?"

He nudges at her side, waking her from her hungry trance.

Valtiel flinches and beams at the chef. "Slowly, please, one that'll make us see the light," she answers. "Grilled over a low flame."

The chef nods and gestures towards the back. "Understood," he says. "Please go ahead and see yourselves in the back room. Your order will be there shortly."

She sighs as she passes through a line of fried meat, steamed vegetables, pancakes and waffles. Everything smells so good, and the temptation to snatch a fried bun or two is too much. She has not eaten anything for breakfast in her haste to catch up to the magician's trail.

Just as they are entering the back room, Illumi idles and fetches two plates. He picks at the braised lamb coated in some shiny sauce, and leaves a few bills on the counter. The chef smirks and nods his thanks.

The back room is empty except for a bright red table and a few chairs. The wall is a sad, dreary shade of pale yellow and the dark red floor has not been swept or mopped in years. With a creak, the room starts descending, a glowing number appearing above the opposite door.

An elevator.

"Here." The assassin sits on the table and pushes one plate to her.

"I'm pretty sure you poisoned this."

"You wanna bet?" He starts munching, his right cheek puffing up as he chews.

"To what do I owe this treat?" She takes an experimental bite, curious to see if it is indeed poisoned or not. Machi is definitely going to kill her if she gets poisoned. Instead, the warm combination of sauce and wine melts in her mouth, and she beams and munches some more.

Illumi continues eating, once in a while dabbing at his mouth with a napkin. He watches her eat with mild interest, trying to find a specific trait that endears her to Hisoka and the Phantom Troupe. So far, he has discerned nothing from her character except bright smiles and sarcastic remarks.

"It's for the attack from yesterday," he lists them off. "The swollen wrist, the attack in the alley, forgetting your name, and mistaking you for that clown's woman. Hisoka would not forgive me if I upset you."

She looks up in the middle of eating. "Oh, he won't?" she hums through a mouthful.

He wrinkles his nose at her lack of ladylike manners. Sure, she absolutely looks the part in her elegant lavender-and-black cheongsam, her pale blonde hair pulled up in that exquisite braided style—but she eats like any rough-hewn beggar from the streets.

He purses his lips in disgust when she licks the sauce off her fingers.

"According to Hisoka, you are important to the Phantom Troupe." His soulless dark eyes regard her with no more than casual curiosity. "I certainly cannot see why, but seeing as my father has once warned us off about the Spiders, I suppose it means I cannot touch you."

"I feel honored," she mumbles idly, then belches. "Ah, excuse me."

"Are you actually a member of the Phantom Troupe?" It is a strange notion. This woman is atrocious.

"Not necessarily." She leans back as the elevator keeps descending. "Just an acquaintance."

Illumi glances at the elevator's numbers and retrieves his needles. Valtiel stiffens and prepares to counter another attack—but the assassin pierces his own skin. She grimaces and shudders.

Several needles dig into his cheeks and chin. His flawless alabaster skin switches into a dark, sickly shade of gray. His once smooth and soft features become longer and sharper.

The needles go to his forehead next, and his perfect black hair twists back to his scalp and turns a bright shade of blue. Needles to the ear, his black eyes become bright red, dull yet somehow piercing. And finally, to the neck, turning his blunt nails into long purple claws.

The new stranger in front of her looks at her expectantly.

"That's pretty gross," Valtiel deadpans.

A sound reminiscent of a chuckle reverberates from the stranger's chest.

"My brother Killua will be taking the exam," he says. Now, his voice sounds very robotic—cackling and shuddering deeply from the throat. Not at all like Illumi's usual soft and blank tone. "If he recognizes me in the crowd, he will surely try to run away."

She nods, swaying her dangling leg. The elevator continues creaking. "So you disguise yourself. A pretty good disguise, if I do say so myself, Illumi-san."

"Gittarackur."

"Huh?"

"Please call me Gittarackur," the cackling voice says.

"O-kay," she drawls.

Above the door, the numbers are less than ten. Ten stories to go. She feels chills run down her spine. This is it. The Hunter Exam. Shalnark took this once, and passed. Hisoka took this once, and was disqualified. A dangerous exam, taken by applicants from all over the world. It would be easy to assume that everyone else is a master in their own field, as with Illumi being an assassin and Hisoka being… well… Hisoka.

The elevator reaches its destination with a deafening thud. Valtiel rises to her feet, smoothing down her silk dress and glancing at Illu—Gittarackur.

The door opens with a cheerful elevator ding. The room beyond is dark and cold.

Gittarackur gestures one purple-clawed hand. "Ladies first."

And so she steps into the darkness, letting her eyes adjust to the new surroundings.

There are hundreds of people already gathered. They do not acknowledge the arrival of the newcomers. The crowd barely even stirs to life. Each expert brings their weapons of choice. Others speak in hushed whispers, their voices drifting over the tunnel like wind.

The tall assassin presses closer to her back. The elevator thuds shut behind them.

"Welcome!" A short bald man with green skin and wearing a black suit approaches them. He smiles up at the pair. "This is your number badge! And yours, sir! Please keep them on your chest at all times. There will be no replacements."

"Thank you." Valtiel smiles at him and watches him go. Her badge, #300, goes to her left chest.

"Shall you look for Hisoka?" Gittarackur's voice makes her shudder. He is #301.

"I might as well." She searches through the dense crowd. In this three hundred worth of people, she should be able to pinpoint the magician well enough. "Will you tag along with me?"

He just stares back at her.

She doesn't wait for his response. She is merely attempting to be polite since the assassin had been patient enough to let her travel with him. He is most likely not interested anyway. He has his own business to take care of, searching for his brother, if Killua made it already at all.

The crowd doesn't part for her, so she has to squeeze between trunk-like bodies and muscles as firm as steel. Their presence is grating, but nothing significant.

Something scuffles to her right. Like a rat, scurrying into the light.

An older man with combed-back brown hair smiles at her. "Oh, you're new this year!"

She turns for the source of the voice. "Ah, yes," she says politely. "How could you tell?"

"I've taken the Hunter Exam thirty-five times in a row." He makes it sound like it is a once in a lifetime achievement. He grunts as he jumps off the ledge. "My name is Tonpa. What's yours?"

"I'm Valtiel. It's very nice to meet you, Tonpa-san," she says, searching through the crowd again. "Have you seen a tall young man with red hair? He's wearing suit symbols on his shirt and make-up on his face."

"You don't mean—" He gasps, eyes wide at this young woman. "Is he a friend?"

"Why, yes." She gives a slight shake of her head. "I can't seem to find him anywhere."

"But you're a rookie, aren't you?" Tonpa insists, looking at her from top to bottom once, twice.

She looks to be around twenty years old, and fragile. The magician she is looking for could snap her neck between thumb and forefinger and be on his merry way within five seconds flat. In fact, anyone in this room could smack her in the face without breaking a sweat. Tonpa already feels sorry for her that he inwardly snickers. Rookies are always too hopeful and gullible.

Even he could break her. There's no mistake about that. She won't get too far looking for the magician. Her dreams of becoming a Hunter ends here, with him, right now.

"I think I saw him further up front," he says, catching her wavering attention again.

"Up front, huh?" She tiptoes and tries to see over the sea of heads and weapons.

"Oh, ah!" He fumbles into his satchel and holds up a can of orange juice. "It must have been challenging for you to find the site!" he gushes, hoping his overly-friendly tone is not too much.

She glances sideways to him, uninterested. "It was adequate."

He thrusts the orange juice nearer to her face. "You must be thirsty!"

Suddenly, the air shifts around them. Like a ghost emerging from the deepest pits of the void, a tall individual materializes behind her.

Tonpa never notices him until now—when his bright red eyes are glaring daggers at him over her head. The man leans close, eyes scathingly narrowed, daring him to speak another careless word. Tonpa gulps and puts the juice away.

Valtiel perks up, her attention entirely elsewhere. "Ah, I see Hisoka-san!" she chirps and turns around for her strange-looking companion, gently squeezing his arm. "Let's go!"

Tonpa watches helplessly as the small girl runs ahead.

The rookies this year are damned weird.

Author's Notes: Gittarackur really said, "I dare you." Only he can threaten Valtiel, alright?

Also! The massive influx of HisoVal shippers from the last chapter is unreal! I am genuinely surprised (and flattered) with the support! I even have some people DM me to let HisoVal happen, bless y'all 🙏 Let me make it even more complicated with Illumi in the plot now. Valtiel finally has the collection of the "Adult Trio" and her job is to stop them from tearing each other apart. She reminds me of that Jurassic World meme with Chris Pratt and the three velociraptors, lmao. Prayers for our girl.

I'm so excited to reach canon timeline now. Let the Hunter Exam begin!

*UrPrettyOne - This is the start of the "Terrifying Trio" saga. Hisoka, pls, we need a better name T_T but I am also curious how Valtiel and Illumi would develop as friends, maybe? Acquaintances? As Illumi is not the easiest person to tame. But hey, she did well with Feitan so she might win Illumi over at some point. Hisoka having feels so Val... somewhere on the other side of the world, Danchou is screeching XD

*Gridly - Yes!, finally! It's been 84 years...

*Guest - Omg, three years! Sometimes I forget I've been writing this story for sooo long! Thank you so much for still reading, and I hope you enjoy the chapters!

*Amy - Chrollo massacring the entire Kurta Clan... only to be the one to bring it back to the world again. That's so hauntingly and painfully tragic, and I cannot imagine what Valtiel (or even Kurapika) would feel about that. Just imagine the angst! But I am soft at the thought of Daddy Chrollo reading his little ones a bedtime story to sleep. He's gonna be that type of father, I'm sure!

Anyways, thank you all for reading! Let me know what you think of this chapter. I'm just really excited to write the new HisoIlluVal(?) trio for the Hunter Exam! Stay safe and I hope you all have a great week! ❤️