The team moves on to grab Gold Dust Girl and do some grave digging, for the Double Postcard to the Dead.
The team came out of a clearing. It was here the awe-struck boys' eyes landed on the grand Japanese-style mansion. Guards stood posted at the entrance, protecting those who were inside. This was Gold Dust Girl's house… and they would get to explore it.
It's not like they could walk up to the guards and ask them, they'd always repeat the same lines. No such girl lives in this mansion…
Raphael found himself grinning. They were only excited about the mansion, and not what was beneath their very feet. Gold Dust Girl was below them, deep underground… they weren't in the house.
She was a shy person, so of course, she'd be hiding… but no one would think she'd be hiding that deep.
"Welcome to Gold Dust Girl's estate. Or at least, what should be her home." He tapped his foot on the ground, "But she's really under here."
"The ground…?"
"Yup, deep underground. Your objective is to get into the mansion and find a way underground to search for her."
"Let's do it together, Kil-"
"Alone."
"Ehhh…"
"The place is full of traps. Trip too many, and you lock yourself out. This requires stealth and finesse. I say we send Killua in."
Killua found his cheeks burning up. Was Raphael complimenting him on his stealth abilities, "Why me? Gon can be stealthy too."
"Because of your fight with Dullahan. You're quick, and this place has a few puzzles to solve. However, there are shortcuts you can unlock along the way. If you unlock the passage from the underground to the outside, Gon can skip the mansion."
"Still… if it's security measures and guards, the two of us can get it done quicker."
"Do you both want to obtain a card? Because you can't do two in one run."
"That sucks…" Killua tapped his arm, thinking about the situation. If he goes in to unlock everything for Gon, that would make his life easier. But he's sure Gon would love to do a bit of puzzle solving.
The boy looked at his friend for a second, second guessing his original thought. If the puzzles don't require him thinking that much… "What if Gon and I handle the upstairs portion together, then he leaves through that exit? Can he come back in later to get the card?"
"Sure… but do you both want to dodge the same trap twice? If Killua disables a trap, it's only disabled for him. The only reason shortcuts are enabled for party members, is because they follow a different rule. Once unlocked, they unlock for everyone… until the person who originally unlocked it… leaves the game."
"And you were the last one to unlock it…"
"Yup, I did it for Tsezgerra a while back. So everything would be locked up nice and tight again."
"Oh, he couldn't get past the traps? Interesting…"
"Nah, he could. I just happened to be doing the quest at the time. I unlocked the secret entrance, he got his card, and I also found something a little more interesting upstairs."
Killua flashed the teen a smirk. He just dropped a hint, "What's upstairs?"
"Look for a study. Read the journal, look at the map, and you'll find the last location of a missing pet."
"No giving them spoilers."
"Killua still has to solve where it is. I just told him what he should focus on for the clue. Are you ready to find Gold Dust Girl?"
Killua gave a nod, "I'm going to have fun." With that, the boy left the scene, scaling the wall to disappear into the mansion. He's going to enjoy solving this trap filled dungeon.
It's right up his alley with his previous career, except it's not about assassinating anyone. He's just there to capture a girl.
"~"
Killua made short work of the security. There were a lot of guards walking about, but it was surprising how weak they were. One hit, and they were already cards. It sucks cause they were protecting an A-Rank card… and they were only F-Rank guards.
He slipped through the crack of laser detectors, flicking off the switch before entering the next room.
It was a small study.
He was about to leave when he remembered Raphael's hint.
On the desk was a small journal. He flipped through what looked to be a small girl's journal. She was talking about a dog she used to own.
He picked up the book, reading through the notes as he looked at the map. He pointed at a section, the first location where the dog was spotted.
Tracing his finger across the map, he followed the notes, eventually stopping on the south-west part of the map. It seems they lost the dog somewhere in the forest.
"Pluto, huh…" It even gives you a name. The game probably changes the name or location of the dog on capture. That or there are other ways to get the Silver Dog. Killua made his way back to the desk, placing the journal back down so it didn't look like it was disturbed.
He moved to the other door, cracking it open. From the gap, he peeked around the corner. There were no guards in sight. Since the corridor was empty, he slipped out of the room.
Killua silently made his way through the rest of the mansion.
"~"
The puzzles aren't too difficult. He could see Gon getting flustered on a couple of them, mainly the ones that had a lot of conditions to solve. The kind he had to think about.
But he knows his friend will get it…
Eventually…
Hopefully…
Reaching a large room, he saw a way down. There was an elevator being guarded by a few men. But given the layout, it could be a trap.
Raphael did warn them that there were ways to soft-lock them out of the next section. This could be one of them.
If the elevator could be permanently disabled in this room, that could become an issue.
Killua observed the room for any hints. He noticed a couple of things to watch out for. But the main issue would be the slightly hidden enclosure. There was a guard scanning the room from above. That was going to be a problem.
The boy made his way around the edges, using the furniture to hide from the guards' line of sight.
Jumping up to reach the ledge, he swung his body up into the enclosure. Before the guard could react, Killua knocked him out, destroying the machine just in case.
Smirking, he crossed the open space, knocking all four guards out.
"Easy peasy." Pressing the button, the elevator went down into the next area.
"~"
Raphael impatiently tapped at his arm. Killua had been going at it for a while. Considering the guards at the entrance were on high alert, Killua must have disabled a lot of the security measures or at least entered the underground section.
The only problem now is…
Why hasn't Killua come out yet?
Between Gon worrying about his friend, and him observing the second entrance, maybe they were just expecting way too much.
Raphael approached the guards, intending on solving what was going on.
"Kid, this area is off limits."
"I'm here for the Gold Dust Girl."
"There is no such girl at this mansion."
"No need." Killua dropped in front of the boy and guard. He was carrying the girl bridal style, "I already got her."
"Give-"
Raphael punched the guard before he could attack, instantly knocking him out "Why didn't you come through the side exit?"
Gon picked up the guard's card, frowning at the description. It was only an F-Rank card. Considering the card they were getting now, that was pretty low in terms of protection.
He would've thought the guards would be strong enough to be considered a B-Rank.
"Because she was scared of the dark. Plus, she was acting pretty adorable about it. Just look at her."
Raphael looked towards the dull, expressionless girl, the way she clung to Killua. She was acting pretty normal, by being attached to him "That's normal character behaviour. She clings to whoever."
"Hey! Take that back." Killua pulled the character away from Raphael, "She is an adorable money making machine. She can make us rich if we keep selling her dust."
Raphael sighed, "Please tell me you didn't use Gain on her…"
"No…" The boy's eyes narrow from the accusation. He wouldn't do that. That would defeat the purpose of going in to collect her, "That would be a waste of time."
"Then turn her into a card and send Gon in so we can grab a second one."
"Rude…" Killua gave the girl a little squeeze, the puff of smoke generating their next restricted slot card.
Gold Dust Girl
046 A - 13
A girl who sheds gold dust from her body-500g of gold can be harvested from her daily bath. Very shy, she rarely leaves the house.
"Still…" He continued to look longingly at the card, "I found her, four floors down after so many puzzles. I think we should skip trying to grab a second copy."
"Ehh…" Gon was confused. Why didn't his friend want him to get a second copy? "Why not Killua?"
"Because there are a few puzzles, I can see you getting stumped on. Besides, one is enough. We can't waste too much time farming multiple cards of everything. Not when Genthru is still collecting cards."
"Good point." Although Gon was disappointed he wouldn't get a chance to grab his own copy of Gold Dust Girl, they should be trying to get everything before that man does, "Okay, we're getting the postcards next, right?"
"Right…" Raphael looked at the boy one last time, observing how he still looked longingly at the card.
Was he seriously infatuated with that girl? Having been lured in after having found her… most likely undressed, which was how Raphael found her. Maybe that's why Killua was still mesmerised.
Honestly, he thought the boy had a thing for someone else…
Or maybe it was the allure of having someone who could make him filthy rich beyond imagination, just by washing their body. He guesses he doesn't really know much about Killua's preference when it comes to this department.
But he doubts Killua would outright say anything about that part of his life. So there's no point asking.
"~"
They had made it most of the way to the graveyard, Killua still with his eyes glued to the binder.
"Okay, seriously. Killua? Do you have a thing for Gold Dust Girl?"
"Not in the way you're thinking perv."
"Perv? I've done the quest, so I know how you stumbled across her. In just one glance, you've become infatuated with her."
"I'm not infatuated." Killua levied a glare at his friend, "It's the idea of having something like this in my life. An infinite money printing machine, and you don't have to lift as much as a finger for your earnings… I'd kill to have something like this in my life over what I had to do?"
"Which is what…? Sit and look pretty?"
"WH-WHAT?!"
Raphael was shocked FROM his own admission. Did he really just casually admit Killua was pretty to his face, "I mean, besides taking care of those nails of yours? What could you have possibly done…?"
"Years in a career I hated. But I did it all for…" Killua fell silent.
"For…?"
"Not important. Just, where's the graveyard?"
"Uhh…" He looked at his friend, still curious about who he was doing what for. However, Killua remained silent. It must be a touchy subject. He'll just focus on leading them to the next card, "It shouldn't be too long. It's fewer puzzles, and more focused on audio cues."
"Ooo, ooo." Gon beamed at the prospect. He'd be great with this kind of quest, "I wanna do this one!"
"Alright… it's quite simple. You play a game of hot and cold, where you listen to the wailing of the ghost. The louder it gets, the closer you are. Simple?"
"Oh…"
"Oh as in you find this uninteresting. Or oh, as in you're scared of ghosts? Because we just did the pillows, and you seemed okay with that one."
"I'm not scared…" Gon grew flustered from the accusations that were being levied at him. He wasn't that terrified. It's just a long, misty graveyard, filled with the sound of wailing ghosts he had to follow.
Who wouldn't be a little scared of having to follow the voices of ghosts?
"Is it really just ghosts in the graveyard?"
Killua felt a little cheeky when he heard the small quiver in his voice. He was scared, no matter how much of a brave face he was trying to put up "You wouldn't want to scream like you did in the dining room."
"I didn't scream!"
"Nah, you were just yelling the word ahh, as you ran down the dining hall while it launched shit at you."
"You screamed for us to run."
"And I was right to do so. I got chased by a ghost upstairs who shoved me down."
"Were you okay?" Gon easily put aside Killua's teasing remarks. He was more concerned about finding out his friend was shoved in the mansion, and he only found out about it now, "That ghost was a meanie to you!"
Gon had somehow twisted the situation around. Now it was Killua's turn to grow flustered. His friend was more worried about him being shoved to the ground, than being terrified of a graveyard.
"You don't need to be concerned about me…" The boy quietly admitted under his breath. Gon doesn't need to worry about him at all. The ghosts wouldn't be able to hurt anyone from their tactics. Unless, they had a weak heart and were easily scared…
"Are you sure you were fine?"
"Yes, baka! Now focus on the misty graveyard. Knowing you, you'd bump your head into a wall."
"Actually…" Raphael needed to derail the conversation before the poor boy burst into flames from Gon's concern, "Its ghosts, in a graveyard maze."
"A maze…?"
Raphael gave a nod, "Yup. Remember what happened with Dullahan, the mist. Except you'll be the one walking into the mist you're going to disappear into. Find the postcards, and you'll be led back out. You only have to worry about getting lost when you're trying to find the card."
"Osu!"
"Oh, and there are no secrets. So don't bother trying to search every square inch of the maze."
"You shouldn't be giving away secrets with every quest." Bisky was starting to get annoyed. Raphael was telling the two about hidden secrets with every card they collected. They should be learning to explore on their own, to find these secrets without assistance, "Let them explore a little."
"Would you rather wait an hour or a day?"
"A day…?" Bisky was completely baffled by the possibility of taking that long to explore such a small space. Given where the mist started and ended, the graveyard had to be no bigger than four kilometres wide, "It's not even that big. I'm estimating four kilometres wide."
"I believe the word is dimensional transcendentalism." Gon almost looked like he was going to overload from the word alone, "It's way more spacious on the inside, than it is on the outside. Like… the Tardis."
Gon looked even more confused, "What's a Tardis?"
Raphael closed his eyes. He was not going to explain it. He'll just think of the boy as a country bumpkin, "I am not explaining Dr Who…"
"Dr, Who?"
"Exactly! Killua, back me up here."
Killua rolled his eyes. Raphael was bold to assume he knew what show he was talking about. He did. He just wasn't as interested in it. "Gon, it's a TV show about an alien time traveller that goes on an adventure to all kinds of worlds."
"Oh… that sounds awesome."
"Right…" Killua crossed his arms, "We're getting off-topic. Gon the maze is massive on the inside, so technically you can get lost in there if you're not paying attention." He redirected his attention back to the other. He still had some concerns about the quest since there wasn't any actual quest lore involved with this card, "Is an hour the fastest time you can beat this?"
Raphael frowned. He felt like Killua was challenging him. He had a decent time. It's not like he ever felt the need to challenge himself to beat this quest as quickly as possible "It's the average time. I did it in under forty-eight minutes if you must know."
"Can it be done faster?"
"Sure, it can… as long as you pay attention to the audio cue points, and you run through the maze. It could probably be done in under thirty minutes."
"Gon, I bet you can't do it in under thirty." Killua was quick to flash his friend a wide smirk.
Gon was not only up for the challenge, he wanted to know what he was going to get out of it. Since there's no special rewards within the quest, he wanted something else "What do I get if I win?"
"Ahh…" Killua scratched at his chin, wondering what would be considered the best incentive for his friend? What would Gon want out of this "I dunno. Hey Raphael, that list you've got. What's the most fun to obtain?"
"They're all straight forward… I suppose the winner can choose the end card route. We can either go for the Mystery Pond or Tree of Plenty."
Killua thought about it for a second, "How about this. If Gon wins, he gets to choose the card, and be the one to obtain it. Provided it's doable."
"Both can be soloed. It's better if you split up and search for them though. They're a spawn anywhere type of card."
"Lame…" Killua was disappointed at the news, "I think the winner gets to choose."
"That's fine by me." Raphael directed the boys forward, "To the haunted graveyard."
"It's not really haunted…"
Raphael found himself smiling at the cautious boy, "As haunted as the game mechanics allow for. The Poltergeist Pillow was the same. It's nothing more than obnoxious jump scares."
"You can say that again…" Killua stretched out his arms, a little bored about the discussion "The first few times were cool. But after the third door slamming shut, it gets old real fast."
"R-Right…" Gon felt a little left out. Both Killua and Raphael weren't scared in the slightest. He was scared, because they were dealing with ghosts. Sure, they were Nen created ghosts and not supernatural back from the dead kind of ghosts…
But they still acted like ghosts, "Are they as bad as the mansion ghosts?"
"Nope, they just try to get you lost in the maze. Make sure to listen for the right ghosts, the game will let you know which are the right ones. Follow the voice, and you'll be in and out of the maze."
"~"
Gon merged with the mist, steeling his nerves for whatever he may find. The first thing he witnessed was an old-weathered tombstone. It's as though the place felt like it was in another world, untouched for years thanks to the mist.
The earthy stench smelted of rot, moss and petrichor. There was also an odd smell amongst the others, something that stuck out like a sore thumb. But he couldn't exactly place his finger on it.
Redirecting his attention, he took a step forward, ears perked for any weird voices. There were whispers in the wind, voices that were unnatural.
But picking them apart was difficult. Which one was he supposed to follow?
The way the gravestones were placed, it was shaped into a maze, the mist blocking his line of sight after the tombstones.
A crow perched itself onto one of the tree's branches in front of Gon, squawking for his attention.
He observed the Nen creature, the way it fluttered his wings a few times. Its head eventually turned to a single direction.
"You want me to go right?"
It fluttered its wings once more, an action Gon could only assume it meant he had guessed correctly.
He gave the crow a wave, following the bird's request. He could hear one wail above the rest, a voice calling for him to come closer.
Although, it could be something else. The other voices were just as loud as the one he felt like he should be following. He continued further into the maze, getting lost in the misty graveyard.
"~"
Killua rested against a tree, mentally calculating the time. Gon had been gone for at least ten minutes by now.
Bisky didn't mind how long Gon would be gone for. She'd use this time effectively.
While Gon searches for the postcards, Killua will be training his next category on the list. This time, Conjuration.
Killua hummed as aura pooled and reshaped in his fingertips. Bisky didn't care what he created, as long as he made something tangible.
Raphael watched with intrigue, half expecting him to recreate a miniature Gold Dust Girl. But he seemed to be designing some kind of knife. It took him far too long to realise what it was.
It was a knife he recognised that Gon, possibly Killua had recommended they bid on at one point. Given that he was recreating a look - alike, Killua could be accustomed to those kinds of weapons.
"I see you have a strange taste with knives…"
"She said anything tangible, this is anything."
"Right…" He continued to observe for a little longer.
Killua by no means was an expert, but the differences between them on a compatibility level was uncanny.
Not in a strange, yet familiar way. Killua straight up was better at tapping into Conjuration than he was. The boy was melding his aura with such finesse, it left Raphael feeling a little jealous of Killua's talent, given that he still continues to struggle with that category.
"You're staring…"
"I'm just watching what you're doing. Maybe I can find something I'm doing wrong to help me improve."
"Or maybe you're barking up the wrong tree." The boy admitted with tinted cheeks. It was clear he was staring at him, and not because of what he was doing. He was jealous, and it shows, "Your category is the polar opposite. Of course, it's going to suck for you. Just like Manipulation sucks for me."
"I still haven't won a game against you."
"We've played only two games. And that's because you suck at checkers. Get good."
"Get good, huh?" Raphael offered a grin, "I could say the same for you and En."
"You've had a head start, that's all."
"I learnt En while fighting two of my peers. Hardly a head start if you ask me." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, "Someone, is lacking with that 'get good' attitude."
"Just you wait. There will come a time when your En can't save you from me whooping your ass to town and back."
"It's possible…" He offered a boy a smile, "I'd still like to see you try. I think I still have you beat on an information gathering level. If Greed Island is an indicator."
"Is that so…" Killua stopped to flick his eyes up to meet Raphael's, "But I bet overall, I'm still smarter than you. I know a wide range of categories. From mathematics to dart throwing rules."
"Give me the rule book and an hour, and I'll be fact checking you from memory."
"Sure, we can do that. But first-"
Bisky was quick and ruthless, the slap coming across Killua's face before either boy could react, "Lets chatting, more practising. You have a lot to be catching up on."
Killua's eye twitched with rage, barely hiding his anger at the fact he was the only one to get slapped, "Osu…" Old Hag…
The next slap made Killua openly whine in frustration, "What was that for?"
"You were thinking about it! Now back to training." She then pointed at Raphael, "Don't be wasting your time. Killua will surpass you if you waste those precious moments."
"Osu…"
A/N: Leave a review, it helps inspire me.