Long time no see!
I hope you enjoy this updated chapter as I get the next two chapters ready for you guyd :)
Killuaaa"
"Nanikaa"
The green-haired teen regarded her with raised eyebrows, his curiosity impossible to hide. Nanika made her announcement in a gentle yet excited tone that told them all they needed to know. She wanted to try something new, something no one else could do. He tilted his head slightly, seeking clarification.
"What is it you want to try, Nanika?" he asked.
Those bottomless black eyes flickered with anticipation as they met the beaming expression of the green-haired boy. She could sense that childlike wonder in him, and it was enough to make her smile.
"I want to try sending you both to another dimension," she explained, voice light and cheerful, though her words carried an otherworldly weight. She giggled when she noticed how their eyes widened in utter shock.
"Wow, you can really do that?!"
Killua, hands already crammed deeper into the pockets of his joggers, merely shrugged with casual acceptance. "Nanika can grant any wish, no matter how impossible it might seem" he said, as though this feat were an everyday occurrence. His tone belied the flicker of caution in his gaze when he looked at her. "Alright then, if you're going to send us off, are you coming along? I'm not about to leave you alone with him."
Nanika let out a small laugh before ceding control to Alluka. The shift made her eyes transition from boundless black to icy blue, and her playful grin revealed a mischievous toothy smile. "Don't worry, big brother!" she chimed, voice now bright and affectionate. "With the family looking out for me, and with all the training I've had, big bro isn't going to try anything. And if he does, well, I can just make demands that'll ensure he keeps his distance." She laughed, evidently entertained by her own plan.
Killua frowned slightly, though he exhaled in surrender. He knew there was no point in protesting when Alluka was this determined. He trusted her, trusted most of his family, but the occasional shadow in his mind often took the form of his older brother, Illumi. Still, he allowed a wry grin to tug at his lips. "Fine. Send us off. Another dimension, huh? Can't say I'm not curious."
Alluka, bouncing on her toes with delight, clapped her hands and launched herself forward for a hug. "Thank you, thank you!" She lingered in that brief embrace, then stepped back with a flourish, smoothly returning to her Nanika form in the blink of an eye.
"Ready, Gon and Killua?"
The two boys nodded, exchanging a confident grin. "Ous!"
"You should make our entrance grand, Nanika!" Gon suggested, his voice brimming with excitement and that irrepressible sense of adventure. "Think about how awesome we'd look, showing up in a flash or something!"
Nanika's endless gaze seemed to shimmer at his suggestion. She found countless ideas swirling in her head, each scenario more dramatic than the last. Part of her wanted to describe exactly how she'd send them away, how she only needed to think of a single word or theme to decide which world they'd land in, but she decided against revealing the process. It was better to watch it play out.
A chuckle bubbled out of her as she pictured Gon and Killua crashing onto the deck of a pirate ship, perhaps in the presence of someone sporting a hook for a hand. The two boys looked at her laughter with puzzled expressions, but she simply told them, "Great idea" and let the wave of power wash over them.
A thunderous boom filled their ears, and a sensation like being pulled through water made them gasp. Then the world as they knew it disappeared.
OoO
Water 7. The town was alive with noise and movement as residents scurried about, preparing for a festival they were planning to hold in just a few weeks. Shipwrights with broad shoulders and oil-stained hands were shaping timber into large, elegant vessels, and the continuous clang of hammers against metal provided a rhythmic soundtrack to the harbour.
Kaku, a man noted for his sharply angled nose, hauled a hefty plank of wood across his shoulder. Each step sent a jolt along his spine, but he persevered, determined to deliver it safely to the nearly completed ship that loomed ahead. When he let the wood slide from his grip onto the ground, he released a grateful sigh for having finished that labour-intensive task.
"Looking pretty wiped there," teased a blonde co-worker named Paulie, leaning over from a higher walkway. He was busy manipulating thick ropes to lift additional logs. Kaku glanced up, a grin already forming, prepared to banter right back.
He didn't get the chance. A deafening explosion ruptured the air, the force of it rattling the scaffoldings and sending planks clattering. Kaku and Paulie froze, trading alarmed looks. Paulie grabbed his rope and swung down, landing with a thump that made dust rise around his boots, while Kaku darted off so quickly it almost looked inhuman. Confusion and fear twisted through the workers around them, and the rattle of weapons being unsheathed rippled across the area.
"Oi!" Paulie shouted, running to catch up with Kaku. "You're not leaving me behind, you jerk!"
Behind them, a few others scooped up tools they could use as weapons. Hammers, crowbars, whatever was at hand. They muttered curses and threats into the warm afternoon air, fully intending to make whoever had caused the explosion regret their foolhardy move.
Meanwhile, in a large, ramshackle-looking house decorated with gaudy posters and half-repaired mechanical parts, a man with bright blue hair was downing a mug of beer and singing with his rowdy comrades. He was Frankie, and he prided himself on being the flashiest shipwright around.
"Oi, Wayne, would ya put some clothes on!" he hollered, cackling as he pointed at Wayne's white G-string. Wayne responded in kind with a rude hand gesture, which only made Frankie laugh louder. The boisterous exchange was cut short when the same thunderous noise that had rattled the dockworks echoed through the thin walls, making the floor vibrate. The entire group instantly fell silent, turning their attention to the rattling doors.
Frankie's expression hardened. "Alright, that's enough sitting around," he declared, pushing back from the makeshift table with a scowl. "Looks like we're under attack, boys! Let's give 'em something to remember."
Cheers and jeers erupted, everyone surging to their feet and racing outside, but they found no immediate threat. Confused shouting spread through the air, weaving with the alarmed cries of bystanders who had heard the explosion from across the city. They all turned their attention to the source of the crash.
By now, the people of Water 7 were inching closer to a smouldering crater that had abruptly appeared in the middle of a cobblestoned street. The swirl of dust and smoke made it difficult to see anything. A tall, thin local squinted as he tried to peer through the haze.
"I see a shape, someone's in there" he said uncertainly.
"Make it two" added a woman running beside him. She had tanned arms and strong, agile legs, as though she had spent her life climbing riggings. Without hesitation, she plunged into the cloud of debris. The man was right behind her.
They returned a moment later, each carrying a figure. The dust and smoke slipped off the forms they cradled two teenage boys (With the appearance of a young child) who wore expressions of dazed irritation, rather than fear or pain.
Gon coughed once, blinking away the tears that sprang up from the swirling grit. "Thanks for pulling us out" he offered, his voice punctuated by a light chuckle. "Good thing we shielded ourselves in time!"
Killua staggered upright, dust still clinging to his hair, and brushed at his clothes in annoyance. "Honestly, we should've planned a better landing" he muttered, then directed a pointed glare at Gon. "That was your fault."
Gon met his glare with one of equal intensity. "How is it my fault we fell from the sky?"
"You're the one who asked for a grand entrance!" Killua retorted, though something in his eyes suggested this was a game more than a true argument.
Onlookers exchanged perplexed looks. These boys had seemingly crashed from nowhere, a blast loud enough to rattle windows, yet here they stood, complaining to each other with barely a scratch on them. More people began to gather, some with weapons, some just gawking.
From amid the cluster of tense shipwrights and townsfolk, a path opened to reveal a composed-looking man with blue hair. He approached, scanning the crumpled street and the dislodged cobblestones, then faced the two mysterious arrivals.
"I am Iceberg, the Mayor of Water 7 and the President of the Galley-La Company," he said, carefully measuring his tone. "I'd like to know how you ended up… dropping in. Our island isn't exactly easy to approach from above."
Gon opened his mouth to reply but hesitated when he spotted Killua's sharp glance. The taller boy took a step forward. "We had a run-in with a nasty bunch of pirates," Killua began smoothly. "Pirates are apparently pretty common here, right? They decided we were trouble, stuffed us into a cannon, and… well…" He gestured to the crater. "We got fired this way."
His words hung in the air, and murmurs of shock floated back to them.
"That's horrible! Who would do that to two kids?" someone exclaimed.
"They're pirates!" reasoned someone else. "No sense of decency."
"Still, that's too cruel" a third voice opined, sparking more discussion in the crowd.
Killua shrugged, ignoring the wave of sympathy he glimpsed in their faces. "It is what it is."
Iceberg knelt just enough to look the boys in the eyes. "I'm sorry to hear that," he offered. "Do you have any family?" The question was soft, but it carried an underlying concern.
Killua and Gon exchanged another glance, reaching a silent mutual decision. "We're… on our own," Killua said simply. "Been that way a while. We travel around, dealing with pirates." He mustered a crooked grin, as though this explanation were a mere detail and not a life story. "Anyway, it seems the pirates didn't appreciate that."
The collective pity in the crowd rose another notch, and Killua rolled his eyes, refusing to pretend he was alright with people hovering over him.
"I appreciate your honesty," Iceberg responded gently. "If you need somewhere safe to stay, you're welcome in my home. You're children, and Water 7 isn't always kind to strangers."
Gon's face lit up. "Really? That's amazing! Thank you so much!" He bobbed his head in a quick bow. "Killua, isn't this great?"
Killua let his guarded demeanour slip a little, offering Iceberg a small nod. "Thanks," he said, his voice warmer now. "We can pay you back by helping out if any pirate crew tries messing with your city. We're not just some helpless kids."
An undercurrent of humour rippled through the crowd. They saw two boys, barely in their teens—certainly not the kind of arrivals they had expected from a flaming crater. Some of the more curious individuals had begun snapping photos, while journalists shoved forward with notepads, hoping for an outrageous story.
"How old are you both?" a reporter blurted, gazing at them in bemusement.
"Fourteen," they answered in unison, prompting a collective gasp.
"That's younger than my nephew," someone whispered. "These two look like they belong in primary school…"
Yet, beyond the exclamations and double-takes, the doc crew, the townsfolk, and the journalists alike couldn't deny their curiosity was piqued. Another reporter stepped in, leaning forward. "Are you two devil fruit users?"
Gon and Killua exchanged a clueless look. "Er… what's a devil fruit?" Gon asked.
That question alone incited a low wave of chatter. Iceberg, noticing their bafflement, answered before the reporters could pounce. "A devil fruit is a rare fruit that grants special abilities to whoever eats it. It can be tremendously powerful, but also robs the eater of the ability to swim." He paused, letting the definitions sink in. "They come in different types, each with unique effects."
Killua shook his head decisively. "We haven't eaten anything like that."
Gon nodded in agreement, remembering the aura he had learned to wield through harsh training. No devil fruit needed.
Satisfied, the reporters slowly backed off, though their notebooks were brimming with scribbled details. Now that the immediate questions were answered, Iceberg offered a brisk nod. "Come with me," he said. "I'll get you settled in. My home is large enough for guests."
He led them away from the gathered throng, through winding canals and neatly laid-out streets. Water 7's unique architecture gradually revealed itself, with curved bridges made from stone and squares lined with shops. Eventually, they arrived at an impressive building with wide windows and a colourful tiled roof. Inside, Iceberg showed them the living quarters—a spacious area decorated with polished wood and a sense of understated wealth.
"This room can be yours, Killua," Iceberg said, opening a door to a comfortable bedroom. "You too, Gon, unless you prefer separate ones."
The boys exchanged a quick grin. "We'd rather share," Gon admitted with an easy laugh.
Iceberg just smiled at their camaraderie, surprised at how these teens, apparently drifting without family, seemed bound by an unshakeable friendship.
In another part of Water 7, Frankie and his eccentric family had returned to their hideout. They had been expecting invaders or enemies, only to find a peaceful scene—and two teenaged interdimensional travellers at the centre of it all. Now, with no immediate threat, Frankie sat himself back down, still a bit riled. A white-haired man came up to him, sloshing some drink over his hand as he gestured.
"Those kids—they did create a bit of drama," he said with a laugh. "We should invite 'em in, big bro, if they're as strong as they claim."
Frankie furrowed his brow, picturing the pair in his mind. "If they really can hold their own, maybe. But I'm not running a daycare here," he retorted gruffly. "Besides, it's not like we know who they truly are or what might follow them. I'd rather not have unknown baggage crash our party."
A woman with angular, square-shaped hair, arms crossed under her chest, agreed, "We shouldn't take them in right away. Let's see what they do first."
Her twin, whose hair was strikingly similar but curled in bizarre loops, nodded firmly. "Exactly. They might be trouble magnets, for all we know."
As if that settled it, the group returned to their drinks and their half-finished party. The music started up again, and the chaotic, carefree vibe resumed. Yet a slight heaviness lingered in the back of Frankie's mind. He couldn't shake the idea that these boys might pose either a massive opportunity or a looming threat, especially in a world where pirates roamed freely.
Time would tell. For now, the people of Water 7 had two unusual visitors with bright eyes, suspiciously skillful combat techniques, and a knack for causing spectacular entrances. Gon and Killua, having accepted Iceberg's hospitality, were busy marvelling at the city that would become their temporary home.