Ch. 1 - Realizations x and x the x Beginning x of x Fun
September 18th, 1979
Jappon Island
Reincarnation. More specifically, metempsychosis, or the transmigration of the soul at death.
That's what four-year-old you was thinking about as you sat at the dining table, shoving neatly cut fruit into your mouth.
Such an abstract topic certainly didn't match what someone in your age range should be thinking about while eating dinner. Something along the lines of 'what does the bowl taste like?' would be more appropriate in your opinion. But in your situation, it felt warranted.
Random memories had always tricked their way into your head, ones that definitely didn't belong to you. A one year old shouldn't be recalling the first time they drove a car and nearly rammed it into the curb, or when they worked part-time at an old tea store. A kid who hasn't even been properly potty trained shouldn't suddenly be remembering the pains of college coursework. But you were. Now at four years old, the fragments have finally built a picture, and you have become fully cognizant. Frankly, another thing that shouldn't have happened since your frontal lobe had practically just begun developing.
One of the few things you were happy about was that you weren't just born with your memories intact and self-aware. The sensation of exiting your mother's womb is something you are content with not remembering. Especially considering the existential crisis you are having right now - over a bowl of fruit - experiencing that at the same time sounded exceedingly unpleasant.
But you digress.
Now, the only memories of your past life that were still fuzzy were the ones surrounding your death. However, you've come to the conclusion that it wasn't natural. After all, no healthy person in their adult years with a lack of medical history of heart conditions just drops dead as you believe you did. But either way, that's not something you greatly care about recalling right now.
After your long time of thinking (realistically, it was probably around five minutes of staring blankly at the food) you'd come to terms with your situation and simply decided to put everything behind you and just take advantage of your academic knowledge and life skills.
The past was the past, and you've established it should stay there.
December 30th, 1979
Jappon Island
Unfortunately, it wasn't as easy as you'd made it sound. Even now at the age of five, you still feel like you were missing something. Something very important to your wacky reincarnation situation.
Unassuming things like the written language of the world made the back of your head tingle in deja vu whenever you looked at it, even more so as you begun to learn how to read and write. Other seemingly random things elicited this strangely peculiar feeling as well.
Oh well. You were sure you'd eventually figure it out.
"Ka-san, you said we are going somewhere tomorrow?" You inquired off-handedly, shaking your head of your scattered thoughts. You didn't mean to space out as your parents were discussing plans for the week over the dinner table. The two are good people and parents, caring and attentive towards you and apparently have quite the positive reputation in the village for assisting whoever needs it. They were one of the reasons you smoothly acclimated to and accepted this new life. And attention was nice.
"Yes, Kai-chan. Spacing out again?" Your blue-gray haired mother chuckled at the persistent habit of yours, and she reached over to ruffle your soft black hair, the shade matching your father's. They had named you Kaiya, with the surname Ryuukawa from your father. You didn't particularly dislike it.
"We're heading out to visit your Obā-san. Since your Ojī-san recently passed away, we need to go get everything sorted for his funeral." Her tone became somber as she went on. "Especially his belongings. He'd sold that Hunter license for quite a lot of money to give him and Obā-san money, and there's still much left over. Oh, not to mention the sword..." Your mother trails on.
Hunter. Hunter license. Those two words made your head have that tingle again.
"Hunter license?" You paused and repeat curiously, chopsticks clacking as it met the bottom of your plate.
"Yes, Hunter license, Kai-chan." Your father replied lightly from across the table. "I'm sure we've told you, but your Ojī-san was a technically a Hunter at one point. He passed the Hunter Exam, but soon sold the license for money once he quickly became tired of the dangerous life and the constant risk of not returning home to your Obā-san. The money allowed him to give them a comfortable, peaceful life instead."
You had spaced out again halfway through the explanation, your father's words sounding muffled as if they were spoken from deep underwater.
Hunter. Hunter Exam. Hunter father had indeed mentioned your grandfather being a Hunter, but you had registered it as hunter, not aHunter!
So that's what you have been missing. The unfamiliar written language makes sense now as well. You were not only reincarnated, but reincarnated in the world ofHunter x Hunter. The fucking fictional series that was still ongoing at your time of death.
...your head spun.
.
That very night, when your parents finally went to asleep, you took a deep breath - and began meditating.
Time to get to work and test out a certain thing called Nen.
January 7th, 1999
Zaban City
The air of Zaban City's outdoor markets holds the faint scent of spices and the wafting aroma of Middle-Eastern style street food. Breathing it all in, you stretch your arms over your head with a satisfyingcrackand a sigh of slight exhaustion.
Zaban City was not a difficult place for you to reach. Now, the exact location of the 287th Hunter Exam is a different story. You had impulsively decided to not bother going through all the preliminary tests that the examiners had likely meticulously set up. After all, you very clearly remember the code the main trio's guide said to be allowed to the back room of the restaurant.
In fact, too clearly. Your recollection of the anime and manga were far more pristine than they should be, especially considering you had been invested in it way back in your young adult years of your previous life. The same memory quality isn't intact whenever you try and recall information on other once fictional series as well. Eventually, you'd sighed, and absentmindedly chalked it up to that whatever divine entity blundered your death had felt bad and gifted you with a great memory for information on this world. Not the most sensible explanation, obviously, but it worked as a placeholder. You had other, more pressing matters to worry about. No time for another existential crisis.
As for your plan, you understand that its fairly risky. The password is certainly information you shouldn't know since you aren't an exam guide, and the examiners will likely be notified about your unusual usage of it as a first-timer. But, you frankly don't mind. In fact, it would be entertaining if they decided to do anything about it during the exam. From your mental evaluation, the highest likelihood is that they'll conclude it has something to do with your Nen ability, anyways, rather than a leak of information.
"Koshari! Try koshari with panda frog!"
The yell shakes you out of your winding train of thought, bringing your focus to the market around. The continued *clack*ing of your heels on the warming pavement as you stroll down the street is effortlessly overpowered by the hustle and bustle of the vendors and shoppers all around. You glance around as you walk, interest occasionally piqued by strange-looking foods and items. Hm, much of the latter likely don't function as advertised, you subconsciously note. Shaking your head, you refocus.
The entrance to the exam is located in a restaurant called Meshidokoro Gohan, adjacent to a towering skyscraper. To get there, you've decided to trace the trio - Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio-'s path. Thankfully, the koshari vendor's shouts had reminded you of the stall that sells panda frogs on a skewer which Gon had visited while passing though the area. Perhaps you should start there.
"Hello! One kebab, please." You hand over the money to the nice lady at the stall, and she passes over the steaming kofta kebab, fresh from the grill.
You take it. The stick is still quite warm to the touch. "Ah, by the way, do you know where to purchase panda frogs on a stick? I heard its quite popular here in Zaban."
The lady turns toward you again, wiping sweat off her brow. "Panda frogs on a stick? There's a popular vendor down the street on the right." She jerks her thumb to the right down the street, into the sea of heads and colorful tarps. Bowing your head slightly in thanks, you head off in the direction she'd pointed.
.
"Zaban's famous panda-frog-on-a-stick! Come over and try this delicacy!"
Seems like you've made it. The stall looks the same as you remember, though the vendor is different. Understandable, considering you are at least a few hours earlier than when the trio and their guide had arrived. The sun has just begun settling itself in the sky, comfortably casting a late morning glow on the street. You walk past the panda frog skewers - mentally noting to try them out when you have time - and make your way down the street to the central plaza.
.
Hand on your hip, you gaze up at the evidently aged restaurant, looking depressingly humble next to the imposing skyscraper right next to it. After another few minutes of walking you had spotted the two contrasting buildings on the farther end of the area, hidden behind a few other tall structures.
There's much less people around, and nobody stops you as you creak open the wooden door and step inside. The door slams shut lightly behind you, and you have to admit the interior looks much more modern than what the outside had led you to believe. Time is slipping into noon, and there's already a number of patrons inside having an early lunch.
"Welcome!" The chef calls, too busy frying some aromatic food to look up.
"Is the back room open?"
The chef's cooking slows a fraction. "What will you have?"
"The steak combo that opens your eyes to the light. For one." Word for word.
Now this is where the fun starts. Your heart rate picks up a fraction, and blood rushes in your ears.
The chef pauses and slowly looks up, voice dropping an octave. His gaze sharpens with an intensity as he stares straight at you. The sizzle of oil from the pan can still be heard, but now drowned out from the fierce eye contact.
"...How would you like it?"
"Grilled over low flame, until cooked." Your smile doesn't budge as he scans your face, his eyes narrowing slightly. It seems like he's noticed you aren't a guide. After a tense moment, he hops off his stool and gesturing for another chef to take over. Motioning for you to follow him, his short figure makes his way further into the restaurant.
"I'll take ya to the back room." Your smile widens for a moment and you swiftly catch up.
"Thank you, Chef-san."
Surprisingly, the man doesn't question how you knew the password. The gold-patterned red door croaks when he pushes it open and gestures for you to enter. You step inside and glance around once before turning back towards the short chef.
"Wait here." He huffs gruffly, eyeing you again for a second before turning away. Before he slams the door shut, the chef pauses. "Good luck." The door closes with a finalthudbefore you can offer a reply.
With a rumble, the well-lit room beings to descend. You pull the chair out from under the singular table and plop down with your legs crossed and an inhale, shaking your head lightly.
The sensation of exhilaration flows through you as you lean back and gaze at the cracked ceiling. After a long, silent few minutes, the room stops moving with a resounding rumble, and a chime from the door.
Seems like you've arrived to the 287th Hunter Exam.