Italia/Two Hunters:

Nine hours.

That's how long their flight is said to be. Tiko groans. She had never been on a flight this long before and had no idea how she would survive. They arrive at the airport painfully early, before the sun fully rises even, and the woman couldn't be more miserable. It's a struggle to keep her eyes open, her hair is a mess and she feels weaker than a summer ant. More annoyingly, Gouten seemed completely fine.

He's standing next to her while she lays unceremoniously across several hard, unwelcoming seats, tapping absently at his phone screen with his headphones on without a care in the world. He'd offered her a pastry he'd made the night before - when he could've done that and still slept, she didn't know - and she took it with great appreciation. Doesn't mean she wasn't mad at him though. He didn't look tired at all . How could he betray her like this?

She glares at him but judging by his confused expression, it didn't work as planned. "How?"

"Hm?"

"When did you have the time to bake these? Didn't you sleep last night?"

"...no?" Gouten says, perplexed.

"No? How aren't you tired?"

"Who says I'm not?"

Tiko's face goes flat. "You're messing with me, aren't you? You're messin' with me and it's too early for you to be doin' that, Gouten."

Gouten, to his credit, manages to hide his chuckle behind his hand, "Yeah, yeah. How good of a driver are you?"

Tiko makes the so-so hand gesture, "I grew up driving tractors and trucks, normal cars aren't hard. Why?"

"In case we have to drive," Gouten shrugs. "Not everyone wants to take a taxi."

"We're only there for a few days," she argues, "I didn't think we needed to rent a car."

"We may not. But Italy is big."

Tiko clicks her tongue, "True. Why can't you drive?"

"Don't have a license." Gouten says with a casual shrug. "Never bothered to get one."

Tiko stares at him as though he'd just grown a second head. "Beg pardon? You don't have a license...? How old are you?"

"Old enough that I've never needed one. I can drive, don't get me wrong. But it's just quicker for me to run places than to drive."

"Right, right. Because that's a normal thing people do."

"You're really not a morning person, are you?" Gouten teases, wisely staying out of Tiko's range in case she swipes at him. "Can't blame you. I hate mornings too."

"You don't seem like it," she grumbles.

"One of us has to actually be the adult here." Tiko sticks out her tongue at him in a very child-like gesture. Gouten pokes her in the cheek. Gouten's phone buzzes and he grabs his and Tiko's bags. "It's time to go. We have a long walk to our terminal."

Tiko wants to argue with him but can't find the energy, "Lead the way."

Gouten had the window seat, Tiko had issues with that. Their flight, largely empty and peaceful, had nearly been interrupted by a fight between the pilot and his co-pilot, but after a brief scuffle, they were in the friendly skies. True to his word, Gouten had tilted his head on the glass, crossed his arms and drifted off into a light, refreshing slumber. Or at least, he had attempted to.

Something nudges him once. Twice. Then a third time when he didn't budge.

"You awake?" Tiko asks, leaning over to get a better look at the clouds.

Gouten keeps his eyes closed, "What is it?"

"You never gave me a song for you."

He hums a sound. "Remind me to give you one when we land."

"But what if we forget? I was thinking about it and it only just struck me how... cool the music sharing is. I want you to share your favorite song with me too."

"When we land," Gouten says again.

"Why not right now?"

"You've had caffeine, haven't you?"

Tiko looks insulted. "...a bit, but that's not the point. I guess I'm just nervous. I've never been outside of the States before..." Gouten didn't respond and for a moment, she thought he had fallen asleep again. When she sees the small twitch in his brow, she carries on. "I, uh, bought an audio-book. Coach said he was gonna have a video class with us when we landed and he wanted us to study. It's called "The Ki To Life," cheesy."

"Hmm."

"Have you, uh, read any good books lately?"

Gouten cracks open a single eye and glances at her. The way the sun hits off the sea of warm, vibrant gold is enough to make Tiko feel as though the entire plane is on fire. She had noticed Gouten's eyes before - he was the first and only person she'd ever seen with such a color - but now, she finally, really sees them. His eyes were the most intense aureate, the sun itself condensed into a personal form.

"...you have white pupils." She says airily. "Has anyone ever mentioned that?"

"Mhm. Wake me up when we land, Tea." He says with an air of finality. His eye closes and the cabin feels a bit darker. "We have a long flight."

"Yeah," Tiko concedes, "Yeah, we do."

She doesn't wake him, it is he who wakes her. At some point, she had fallen asleep with her head leaning on his shoulder and one of her earbuds dangling lazily from an old, taped up wire. They'll be landing shortly and before they do, he taps her twice. "We're here."

The streets of Rome were nothing like either of them had ever seen. It was like stepping into Metro City, but in the years past, their narrowness and tallness of stone buildings. They look ancient, far older than the very cars that drive past them and will be standing long after those are gone. On the street they walk, there's a gelateria shaped like a fancy chocolate box. A line of locals and tourists alike stream from the open window, the newest customers walking away with every color of ice cream on the fanciest of waffle cones. The scene is enough to draw a smile from Tiko's tired lips, it's right out of some children's book, the hues so perfect. "Can we get some before we go?"

"Would be criminal if we didn't."

The rest of the trip went by like a blur, and before either knew it, they were at their hotel. Gouten spared no expense, getting them a nicer hotel than Tiko had ever expected.

"The Otium...? Gouten, uh, isn't this a bit much?"

"Nope," he says simply. "It's fine. You can wait there while I check us in."

"It may not be my place but, uh, I didn't know you were rich."

Gouten smirks playfully, "Rich is a strong word. And before you ask, no. I'm not going to tell you what I did back home."

Tiko opens her mouth and immediately closes it, "One day, I will figure you out, Hawaiian boy," she says, waving her fist in the air.

"Don't expect me to make it easy for you."

"Nothing is ever easy or simple with you." She adds flatly. "I wouldn't be surprised if you were some oil baron, or some legendary surfer. Or a model."

"You think I'm pretty enough to be a model?"

Tiko makes a face, realizing she'd fallen into his trap. "I don't have to answer that question. I'm gonna go look around for a bit. Can you take my bags up or no?"

"You're fine."

Tiko wanders off and Gouten finishes checking in, taking their bags up to their shared room and texting her the number. When he gets there, he finds that the room is nice and wide. Light green walls with short tables and decorated with photos of people and events that Gouten has no recollection of. A small kitchenette in the corner of the room and a great view of the city and Colosseo. The single bed was a bit smaller than he'd expected, and the couch looked like it might crumble under his weight, but he could sleep on the floor with no complaints.

He vaguely wonders if he should call his mother as the sinking feeling of being watched etches its way into his soul. He closes his eyes, internally pinging his senses to ensure his solitude. Then he opens them and looks off into the distance. There's a figure of humanoid outline many blocks away standing alone on a roof. Gouten can make out nothing but a brown coat and a shining silver mask. Logically, he knows, the figure could be looking at anything. He gives an experimental wave. The figure robotically waves back. And then vanishes when Gouten blinks in surprise.

The day of the event itself is full of excitement from the moment they step foot on Colosseo grounds.

"Head that way," the receptionist says, "It's an open challenge. Anyone can show up and fight if they want."

"We're just here to talk to a woman named Marisa," Tiko says. "She's an artisan?"

"Best in the country," they say easily, "But who do you think is running this shindig? She's the host, and she puts on a show every year. If you want her attention -" they gesture vaguely down the dark hallway, "You get the idea."

Gouten and Tiko share a look. "Should've seen this coming," He says with a shrug. "You ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be..." Tiko looks even more nervous than at the airport. He can understand, truthfully. She must've felt entirely out of place. Having been entirely relocated in the span of twenty four hours and being told to fight would make any sane person feel off balance. Her gait is slow and tense, and the look in her eye screams uncertainty. Gouten could not ignore it.

"None of that. Where's your confidence? You said you wanted to reach my level, right? You can't do that like that." Gouten shakes his head. "Here, head held high. There's a word we use for it back home, imua. "

" Imua...? "

"Means to move forward with strength or purpose. Move forward towards a goal."

" Imua."

"Say it louder and mean it."

She does and walks a bit straighter.

"Not loud enough," Gouten frowns. "Say it louder and mean it."

"Imua!" Tiko shouts, falling into a more comfortable stride. People in the hallway give them strange looks, but neither of them pay them any heed. A burst of power radiates outward with Tiko's every step, filling the room with comfortable, warm energy. She feels it too, Gouten can tell. Her expression is changing as they get further and further inside into something more intense and passionate. " Imua!" She repeats. Another burst of power erupts from her core.

Gouten looks proud. He lazily raises a fist, " Imua."

It is Tiko who steps out of the tunnel and into the light first and sound slams into her from every direction. As the hot midday sun beats down her back and Gouten's back, Tiko grew a bit more weary, and the adrenaline she felt slowly started to fade away. There were so many people around them of all shapes and sizes, dressed in everything ranging from regular clothes, to old gladiator garb. In all the commotion, she hadn't thought to truly look at her destination until now. The pictures didn't do it justice. The heat of the sun seemed to dissipate as she watches the gorgeous arches sprawl before her, and witnessing them seemed like an experience for her and her alone, despite the crowd. The air seemed thicker, heavier with the pressure of power.

In the middle of it all, several people with shields and spears surrounding a disconcertingly large lion. The lion wears a thin layer of armor and a crown of golden thorns around its mane. She'd never seen such an animal in real life, the books hadn't done it any justice. There's a stoic seriousness when the beast looks at her, that combined with the confident unhurried grace, is why they call him king. Those that surround the lion are little more than a passing thought. Its mind shifted the second another beast entered the fray. Tiko freezes when the lion locks its gaze in her direction. Gouten doesn't. The lion bares his fangs and Gouten bares his in turn.

"Heh, looks like he's chosen who to hunt." Gouten says, taking a step forward and placing himself between Tiko and the lion, "Come at me then, kitty."

Tiko frantically grabs his arm, "What are you nuts!? You can't fight that thing!" She is beyond exasperated with how innocently confused he seems, like a child who had just had their toy taken away. "What if it bites you?"
"But what if it didn't?"

" Gouten!"

"Fine. I guess I'll just have to bite back."

She makes some sort of strangled sound and immediately, the lion takes off across the arena, leaping and bounding over everyone else. It roars something fierce and spine-tingling and Tiko braces herself when it pounces in the air. Gouten doesn't budge. The look in his eye shifts ever so slightly and in an instant, a torrent of power expands outward. Not unlike a firework, it spreads everywhere and covers everyone. Tiko knows this feeling and evidently, the lion does too.

It slides to a stop mere meters before them, purring in warning loud enough that Tiko feels her entire core resonate. The air is so brittle it could snap, and if it doesn't, she might. Gouten lets out a calming breath, and though his back is to her, she just knows he's wearing a smirk.

He whispers something to the lion in Hawaiian and the creature recoils.

Tiko feels herself take a few steps back, away from the monstrous standoff. She feels her back collide with something hard, and her head, something firm. She turns and her eyes go wide.

The woman is nothing short of Amazonian in stature with more musculature than Tiko's ever seen on a single person in her relatively short life. Her hair is as red as fire and styled into a bob that looks vaguely like a helmet and she wears a gold pendant around her neck that resembles the head of a spear. Her gold trimmed black attire looks like a mixture of past and present, and truly highlights how statuesque and stocky the woman really is.

"Lucius is a clever boy," The woman says with confidence. "He's never eaten a human, but..." Lucius, rooted in place, watches cautiously as Gouten takes several steps forward. "He gets real moody when he smells a coward. However, this man -" Lucius bows his head and rolls over on his back. "Is an equally wild beast. I've never seen Lucius submit to anyone like that before. I guess the sayings are true; everything in nature stops to listen when the wolf howls."

Gouten turns to face her, and if he's shocked by her appearance, he doesn't indicate it. "You're Marisa." He says.

"Marisa Rossetti. You can let your guard down, Lucius is just a playful boy! You're not a usual fighter from around here, are you? Let me guess, you're here for a craftsperson!"

Tiko keeps her eyes on the lion, while Gouten nods. "We are. We heard you're the best around."

Marisa chuckles, "I'm flattered to hear that!" She raises her hand towards her necklace and plays with the spear-shaped pendant. "One of these, correct? Surprised? Don't be! Afterall, I've seen you eyeing it with great interest. Crafting is something of a hobby for me, you see. My day job is -" she punches her fists together and a loud, satisfying smack echoes even over the hyper crowd, "What you see before you. I'll agree to craft you what you want on one condition."

Gouten raises a brow. Tiko looks nervous. "What is it?"

"I wish to fight you! You're sure to be an excellent opponent!" Marisa says, pointing to Gouten. "We shall make history beautiful!"

Gouten rubs the back of his neck. People around them start to mutter amongst themselves in surprise. Marisa, the Glory Seeker, directly challenging someone? Rare and even rarer still to challenge them during such an event. "Really putting me on the spot, aren't you?"

"Nonsense! I can sense your might! You're just as ready for a fight as I am!" Marisa puts her hands on her hips and smirks at him. Her ki, along with visible streams of golden energy, dance around the arena, caressing everyone it touches in a warm, comfortable embrace. It's strong but not unkind. The kind of power that carries the woman's emotions in the air like a paper bag lost in the breeze.

Gouten's expression becomes a sheepish smirk, "Heh. We'll see."

Marisa takes a wide stance, open and ready. "Well, if we're going to fight, then fight!"

Tiko's eyes snapped away from the lion for the first time. "What!?"

"I'm sure no one else will mind. Besides, your friend seems just as ready as me... C'mon," She leans forward, putting a hand on her hip and puckering her lips. She points to her chin, "First hit's free, little man."

Gouten's eye twitches. "Little, huh? First time anyone's ever called me that."

It happened far too quickly for anyone to notice. Quicker than the sound would have reached anyone's ears, quicker than Gouten's movements could be processed by any normal person. Gouten's punch blurs his form and lands with an emphatic boom that sends Marisa's large frame tumbling away.

"It'll be the last time too, I think." He finishes, keeping his eyes locked on the woman. "You may want to get out here, Tea. I can't promise you won't get caught up in this."

Before Tiko could say anything, Marisa's laughter booms through-out the open area.

"Yahaa! Fight with all your heart!" She shouts, barreling towards them like some of the largest bison Tiko had ever seen. She draws her fist back and a thin, translucent layer of golden plates appear over it, and the punch she throws has enough power behind it that her fist is nearly as bright as the sun.

Tiko doesn't see the impact, but she feels the equivalent of two bulls ramming into each other at full speed and power. She gasps, not out of shock, but because of the shockwave knocking the wind out of her. Something blurs out of her peripheral vision.

Marisa stands tall when she turns around, a thin line of blood dripping from the side of her lips and a smile on her face. "Rejoice in the glory of combat!" A clean line is formed in the dirt and sand, a few centimeters deep, cleaving nearly the entire arena in two with dust and debris everywhere. At the end of it, a cloud of dust and the silhouette of a behemoth. Men quiver at its visage, and a familiar power floods Tiko's entire being, locking her in place. She knows this power and has come to bask in it.

The dust settles and the behemoth is gone. Only Gouten remains. He too is bleeding, and he too ignores it with a bestial grin.

"It's a bit too crowded down here for my taste."

"I agree... These lot are warriors, and fine ones at that but," Marisa strikes a pose, wide and welcoming. "They won't be able to stand up on their feet anyway."

The world went silent. It feels like breathing should draw vapor from one's warm and cold air bracing in the lungs, but it's so cool it's heavy. Everyone can hear a low frequency buzz, like static or thousands of birds chirping all at once, getting louder and louder until it feels almost tangible and visible. A vibration across one's skin and in the ears that rocks people's balance. It's a feeling that forces teeth to chatter and clench, a feeling of biting into ice cream with sensitive teeth.

Tiko sees everyone stumble back by at least three steps and some drop to their knees, breathing hard. Tiko herself trembles, witnesses the air itself fissure with the clash of wills.

"If you can still stand, begone!" Marisa declares. "For this match will be too much for you to handle!"

A hand lands on Tiko's shoulder and suddenly, the world feels at ease. The pressure that surrounded them, that suffocated the common man, had all but vanished. She doesn't need to turn to see who it is. Gouten studies her with an analytical gaze. Breath fast, but steady. Eyes unafraid. She'd done incredibly well in standing up for herself under the combined pressure he and Marisa exuded.

"You're so cool, Tea." He says suddenly.

"You're heavy," she says back, making a face. "I couldn't fully describe it before but, you're heavy." She reaches out and wipes the blood from his cheek with her thumb. "Like a black hole is heavy."

"...huh?"

"Nothing. Just... you win, okay?" She prods him with her index finger in his chest. "You win."

Gouten looks at Marisa who's standing mere meters away, grinning like a maniac. Frankly, he's unsure. But he can't let Tiko know that.

"You got it, hoaloha."

"I've got to say, you training so hard is admirable. But you know rest is just as important." Luke says with his arms crossed. He regards her from across the gym, face partially hidden by the shadows but a grin ever present on his lips.

Tiko throws another punch to the heavy bag, making it swing violently to the other side. "I know," She says, swaying out of the way of the bag and throwing another punch to stop it dead in its tracks. "I'm not tired."

"Didn't think you were," Luke shrugs. "But even though you've changed it doesn't mean overtraining still isn't a thing. Even the strongest have their limits, you know." Tiko chuckles sheepishly and throws another punch, but her form is off and her blow lacks power. "You're nervous about something. Your punch has a lot of strength, but not a lot of power."

" There's a difference?"

"Yes," Luke says, walking over to her and tapping the bag, "There is. Everything good?"

Tiko chews her bottom lip, unsure of what to say. Eventually, she sighs. "We're going on a trip tomorrow. Me and Gouten, I mean. To Italy."

"For the festival, I'm guessing."

'And for Mad Gear,' She thinks. "Yeah, I guess I'm just wantin' to get some last minute training in. Helps to ease the nerves."

Luke whistles, "I hear that, sister. Gouten didn't tell me you guys were going anywhere. Truthfully, I'm heartbroken. You were gonna go all that way and leave your coach out to dry! Bring me somethin', wouldya! Anything, I like surprises!"

Tiko giggles while taking a sip of water, "O' course, Coach."

"Heh, good. Now that that's out of the way, want to tell me why you're really here so late? What's got you trainin' so hard? You didn't strike me as the type who's reaching for power."
She wasn't, truthfully. Her reasoning was much more than just wanting to be strong for the sake of it, "Hmm," Tiko hums. "I don't want to get left behind." She says candidly. "It feels like I've just started the race and everyone's got a head start. To be strong, it's my choice." Her words come out with such conviction that Luke can't help but to smile. "I don't know what it means to be strong yet, but I think I know what it isn't. Strong isn't being free of fear, it's the opposite, I think. It's owning your own errors and usin' them to be better." She pauses and takes a breath, looking for the words, "I don't like to admit it, but I'm weaker than him. By a lot." She knows Luke knows who she's talking about without mentioning him. "I don't really care about bein' able to punch through a building, or move faster than a car, or anything. But, I want to be strong so I can reach him. And not just him. But Bosch too. Maybe if I were a bit stronger, I could reach out to the people I care about, and they don't have to worry about whether or not I can keep up, y'know?"

"Gotta say, I wasn't expectin' any of that. That was a very mature way to look at it, Tiko. Almost brings a tear to my eye." Luke says, wiping an invisible tear from his eye. "If it helps, you're already strong. You're easily one of the strongest students I've ever had here. But something tells me that's not what you want to hear, so I'll give it to you straight; you want to be strong? There's only really two ways to do it. The way you're doing now is what most people do. We wake up, eat our veggies, say our prayers and get ready to work our butts off until we can't anymore. The path we walk isn't easy, but the lessons it teaches us is worth every step. Each battle is a chance to learn somethin' new about yourself, and before long, you realize that strength isn't just what you said, punchin' buildings and running faster than cars. It takes strength to look at yourself too. Yeah, that's one way. The other way," Luke's eyes suddenly grow more grave and his tone gets hushed and serious, "Ain't as pretty."

Tiko swallows down heavily.

"The other way is gnarly. Some people want power because they believe the strong should eat the weak. Some people want power to destroy. To rule. They want more. And they'll stop at nothing to get it. Hurting people, destroying everything. Some people have lusted after power for so long that it's all they know. Some are a mess of good intentions gone wrong. Some hunted monsters until they became the very thing they swore to destroy. Remember this; power is just as good as it is bad. The price of power is pretty steep and believe it or not, some people paid with interest."

Tiko can do nothing but nod in silence as Luke's words hit her in totality. She nods, but only because of her desire to show that he hadn't been ignored, rather than in understanding.

"When you get to Italy, if you get into any good fights, let me know. You mentioned a festival, so I'm guessing Rome? Marisa's there. If you see her, tell her Luke said hey, she knows who I am. Oh well, sorry to bother you. Only came to close up the gym, but you've caught me monologuing!"

"Excuse me, miss. This seat taken?" Tiko barely pays the man a side glance.

"It's a free space." She says absently.

"Good, good. Just checkin'." The man takes a seat next to her, stretching out to full length. "So, who do you got winning? I can't say I know much about that guy, but everyone around here knows about Marisa."

Tiko doesn't respond. The man makes a sound in an attempt to get her attention, but it falls on deaf ears. Her mind is elsewhere, a different place. A different time.
"I don't know..."

"Hey, it's fine to not know. Not knowing is just as exciting." The man rubs his hand through his flowing black dreadlocks. "Was just curious about that friend of yours. He seems strong."

"He is," Tiko says. "The strongest guy I know."

The man whistles, "Is that right? That's good. A few associates of mine have their eyes on him too. The name's Lucas, by the way. Nice to meet you."

"Tiko."

"Oh well, I'll be out your hair, lady. Just wanted to ask about your friend. I wish him luck."

"Yeah," Tiko says softly, "I, uh, wish him luck too." She hadn't thought he needed it, in all honesty. She struggles to picture Gouten losing. Be it a child-like naivety or something else, the visual of Gouten laying defeated at anyone's feet is something so alien that she dashes the idea away. He was strong, the good kind of strong she aspired to be. The infinity between them had never been more apparent than it had been mere moments ago.

You're so strong... It's almost unbelievable. But...

Tiko sighs and rubs her fingers through her hair.

What happened to you?

A/N: What secrets does Gouten hold? What was the price he paid?