6
Zebro let the four to a building. "These are the servant's quarters. You all can stay here tonight. Come on in. Anyone home?"
Another man walked down the stairs. "Guests? Don't see that every day."
"This is Seaquant. He works with me here at the estate." Zebro said.
"Good evening." Gon said with a huge smile.
The guy huffed and moved away. "Zebro doesn't take a liking to just anybody. Make yourself at home."
Zebro motioned for them to follow Seaquant. Sitting down, Amira looked around as Gon explained everything to Seaquant.
"You wanna see young Master Killua? That's funny." He said with a smirk.
Leorio frowned. "We're serious."
The man scoffed. "Let me give you some advice. Give up and go home. You know about the testing gate right? This place is just like that. It's not easy."
"We know it won't be easy but for Killua we will do whatever we have to." Gon said. "I wasn't there for him like I should have been. If I was…If I had been there I know I could have stopped him."
Amira sighed and reached out for Gon's shoulder. "Gon, no one expected it. You can't blame yourself. We don't know what Illumi did to him."
"He's my friend." Gon said looking at her before his eyes turned to Seaquant. "He's really important to me. I have to see him."
Zebro laughed. "I understand. Why don't you do some training while you are here?"
"What?" Gon asked confused.
Seaquant tried to speak but Zebro spoke louder. "You four can try to move the door together. There's nothing wrong with teamwork and training will help. How about it?"
"I don't like to be tested." Gon said.
Kurapika smiled. "If there is no other way?"
"I guess we'll just have to do it." Leorio said with a smirk.
"Zebro, let's get started." Amira said with a huge smile.
The older man smiled at their faces. "Ok. I am going to need you all to put something on."
He disappeared into a side room only to appear carrying four vests. He held them out and Amira about dropped to the floor.
The others were struggling to hold the vests up. Leorio fell to his knees.
"How is this so heavy?" He said.
"It weights 50 kilograms (roughly 110 pounds). Wear it all the time except for sleeping." Zebro said with a laugh at their faces. "I'll make it heavier as you get used to it."
Zebro held up Amira's vest so she could slip it on. She almost fell over.
"Have some tea." The man said with a smile. "The cups weigh 20 killograms and the teapot 40."
Amira glanced at him with a glint. "you're enjoying this, aren't you?"
The man's smile got bigger at the girl's comment. "all the furniture and utensils in this house weigh over 20 Kilograms each."
"I see what you're getting at. This will serve as training." Kurapika said with a smile.
"This is crazy." Seaquest said. "They will give up in two or three days."
Leorio glared in anger. "What was that?"
Zebro just smiled. "Seaquest, I believe your shift has already started."
The man nodded and walked out.
Amira sighed. "He doesn't have a lot of faith in us, does he?"
Zebro smiled sadly. "I'm sorry. He isn't a bad person."
Leorio suddenly stood, "Where's the bathroom?"
"Right thought that door." Zebro pointed.
Leorio looked at it and then at the man. "Let me guess. The bathroom door is also…"
The man's face lit up with joy. "That door weighs 500 Kilograms." (Roughly 1,102 Pounds)
The four stared at the man in shock.
"Let me show you to some rooms." The man said.
He led the group down the hall to a room without a door.
"This is where the new hires live. We don't have any right now so you three boys may use this one." Zebro said with a smile.
"What about Amira?" Kurapika asked in confusion.
Zebro motioned to another open entry. "You may stay here in this room. It's a private room for a servant."
"I don't know. Should we be separated?" Leorio asked.
"I assure you, the young miss...Amira will be safe in her room here." Zebro said with a smile.
Amira smiled and walked into the room to see a twin bed and dresser..
"Good night, Amira." Zebro said with a smile.
"Good night, Zebro, and thank you for your help." Amira said with a smile.
She sat down on a bed and yawned.
Amira removed her weighted vest and climbed into bed. A few minutes later she was sound asleep.
The door opened quietly, and a figure entered the room. The person carefully picked Amira's backpack up and opened it. A small cut was done, and a device was slipped into the slit. It was quickly sewn back together. Looking at it, you would never realize it was cut unless you knew it was there.
The shadow moved out of the room only to stop and stare at Zebro who stood in the hall watching. The figure nodded his head and left the building.
Zebro sighed and looked at the door before retreating to his room. There was nothing he could do.
A week passed and all but Gon trained. Soon they were ready to try again.
Gon and the others stared at the trial doors with a confident look. Gon went to walk forward only for Leorio to stop him.
"Gon, wait." Leorio said. "Let us three do this."
"You need to rest your arm and let it heal." Kurapika said with a smile.
"If we can open it. You wont have to worry." Amira said with a smile at the younger boy.
Gon sighed but nodded his head.
Kurapika got on one door with Amira and Leorio took the other. '
"Ready?" Leorio asked.
Both nodded their heads. "Push."
They pushed but the door and, while it shuddered a little forward and cracked open. They held it for maybe a minute before it slammed shut.
The three collapsed breathing heavily.
"We just need more training." Amira said.
The boys nodded and turned to Zebro.
He smirked and nodded his head.
The next couple of days they worked hard with all the furniture and other heavy items building muscle and getting stronger.
It was finally time for them to try and open the door for a third time. They got ready and tried to push but it barley moved.
Seaquart huffed and walked over. "You are never going to get in. Why waste your time?"
Leorio huffed. "if you don't believe in us leave?"
"Gon is one of us. He has made it clear he wants to see his friend. Its only right we help him achieve his goal." Kurapika said with a blank face.
"Killua is also one of us. We care for him just like we do the others. We will see our friend." Amira said with a smile.
Leorio shook his head in amusement. "There goes mama hen worried about one of her chicks."
Amira just smiled at him.
He nodded to the door. "Let's do it again."
Kurapika moved to one door, Amira to the other and Leorio to the center with one hand on each door.
The three pushed with all their might but it wasn't opening.
Seaquart huffed and walked over to the guard shack. "You can't push mindlessly. If you don't push simultaneously with everything you got, the doors won't open."
The three looked at each other and nodded. They pushed and the doors suddenly opened up with a crack down the center.
The three were so shocked they quit pushing and the doors slammed shut sending them flying back.
Amira sat up with a huge smile. "We did it. We can do it."
The other two sat up with huge smiles on their faces.
The next day the three prepared to try it again.
"Today's the day. We are going to go through that gate." Amira said with a huge smile.
"Why don't you take those vests off today?" Zebro said with a smile.
Leorio looked thrilled. "Don't mind if I do."
The vests came off and the three stared in shock at the dent in the earth when they dropped them. They stared at the man who just smiled.
Leorio looked at the gate. "Come on. WE can get the gate open for sure."
Gon stood back as the three got into place. Amira on one side, Kurapika on the other and Leorio between them.
"Ready?" Leorio said.
"Ready" Amira said with a huge grin.
"Ready." Kurapika said with a node.
"Go." Leorio shouted.
They pushed together on the door. It was so heavy, and it slowly started to move forward. Gon suddenly appeared and got between the door and Leorio. His hands rested several inches below the older teen.
"What are you doing?" Leorio asked.
"What about your arm?" Kurapika asked.
"It's healed. So match our breathing, right?" Gon said.
"Yes. Let's try again." Amira said watching the three.
With one breath the three pushed as hard as possible and suddenly the door opened more and more.
Gon fell forward as the door opened and the four stood there breathing heavily.
"We did it?" Gon asked.
Amira smiled. "We did it."
"Very good everyone." Zebro said with a smile. He led them back to the servant quarters so they could collect their stuff.
"Follow this path and it will lead you to the main house." Zebro said with a nod to the path. "Never been there myself. Sorry I can't help more."
Amira shook her head. "You have been a lot of help."
The four waved goodbye.
"They are something. They might have what it takes to reach the mansion." Zebro said with a smile.
Seaquest laughed. "It's not going to happen. The boys will die for sure, and you know the fate of the girl."
Zebro shook his head. He had faith in them.
Gon's group
"I can't wait to see Killua. We have so much to talk about." Gon said with a smile.
Leorio laughed. "Yeah. I'm kind of missing the punk."
"What's that?" Kurapika asked looking confused.
The four came to a stone fence where a black girl in a butler suit was standing. Amira didn't know what, but something was not right.
"Please leave now. You're trespassing on private property. I can't let you pass without permission." The girl said.
Gon frowned and walked forward. "We called ahead and made it through the testing gate."
"The butler's quarters did not give you permission to enter." The girl said with a blank look.
"How do we get permission? I told them I'm Killua's friend." Gon said frustrated.
The girl sighed. "Who knows? No one has ever received permission."
"Then I guess we're gonna have to trespass." Gon said glaring at the girl.
"I suppose so. This is where I draw the line." She said while using her staff to draw a line in front of her. "Take one step past it and I will remove you by force if necessary."
Kurapika, Leorio and Amira readied themselves to fight when Gon stopped them.
He started walking over and staring at her. The minute he stepped a foot over, she knocked him away. Leorio and Kurapika pulled their weapons of choice out but Gon stopped them.
"I got this. We didn't come to fight anyone. We just want to see killua." Gon said while wiping blood away.
"Your motives don't matter." She said in a monotone voice. "I have my orders, and it is my duty to follow them."
Amira glared. "How can you all be so cruel to deny Killua to see his friends?"
The girl glanced at Amira while swinging her staff around. Gon stood up and started walking to her. The other three watches as hit after hit, Gon went flying. He refused to stop.
Amira looked away as he went flying again and there was blood on the ground.
"Gon, let one of us go now?" Amira begged.
Gon stood, "No."
"Stop right there. Please go away." The girl screamed and hit him again. "Why won't you just give up? You know it's pointless."
She turned to the others. Amira had tears running down her face. Kurapika and Leorio were tense from just watching.
"Please stop him. You're his friends! Why?" She yelled.
"What's the big deal? I just came here to see my friend. The only reason I'm here is to see Killua." Gon said while walking toward the girl. "Why are you making me go through all this?"
He threw a fist and hit the stone collum beside her which smashed to pieces.
"Hey. I crossed the line. Shouldn't you hit me?" Gon said.
The girl stared at him in shock and horror.
"I can tell you're different from mike. You may be trying to not show your feelings, but you know in your heart this is wrong." Gon said with a hard look. "When I mention Killua, your eyes softened."
Tears ran down her face before she started speaking. "Please. Please help Master Killua."
Suddenly a shot to her head sent the butler to the ground unconscious.
Everyone stared in shock as a woman in an old petticoat stood on a hill holding a gun. A child was standing beside her.
Amira was kneeling to check on the girl ignoring the woman. Her hand ran across the girl's forehead as Leorio lifted the girl up.
"She's ok. Just knocked out." Leorio said.
"Forgive me for not introducing myself. I am Killua's mother, and this is Kalluto." The woman said.
"Why can't Killua come to see us? Where is he?" Gon asked.
"In solitary confinement." The woman said.
The four shared a look baffled at her words.
"Before he ran away from home, Killua stabbed his brother and me. He felt terrible about it and entered solitary confinement voluntarily. We don't know when he will choose to leave." She said with a small smile.
Amira jumped as the woman started screaming something about her father doing something. The woman ran off.
"Who are you all?" Kalluto asked confused.
"We're his friends." Gon said.
"you're his friends?" Kalluto asked.
Kalluto turned and left when the woman screamed for him.
"What now?" Amira asked.
"These people creep me out. I bet they lied about Killua not wanting to see us." Leorio said with a frown. "We can't go back. We should tail those two."
Gon nodded his head. "But if we follow, it could cause trouble for her later on."
"I will take you to the Butler's quarters." Canary said as she sat up. "There is a phone that connects directly to the mansion. If Master Zeno answers…"
Canary stopped and winced in pain.
"Be careful. You just got hit pretty hard in the head." Leorio said with a look.
"Who is master Zeno?" Gon asked.
"I'm fine." The girl stood and faced them. "He is Master Killua's grandfather."
She motioned them to follow her. The four followed behind the girl as they walked though the woods to the Butler Quarters. In the main mansion, Killua was sitting with his father telling him about his best friend Gon, and the mother hen Amira. He never realized how much information he gave away to his father about the two and his experiences in the hunter's exam.