Started watching the remake of HunterxHunter...got hooked. hahahahaha. As always, I'm a fan of the Zoldyck family. Any Nen ability reference in this fanfic would be minimal at best and might be slightly off. I don't really want to focus on that anyway.

Gon Freecs was, and always had been, an energetic, curious creature. Growing up in the loving care of everyone he ever met, it would be surprising to know that Gon never knew his real parents. He had been adopted by his Aunt Mito, his father's cousin, since he was a baby. Ever since then, he had been living in Whale Island, in a cottage on top of a hill, with his Aunt and Grandmother. His had always been a blessed life, full of love, care and happiness.

He spent his days fishing and hunting for game. He was naturally strong and agile, more so than any kid his age. When he was twelve, his aunt had allowed him to join some fishermen who specialized in capturing rare deep sea fishes. During a mishap when a sea monster attacked the crew, Gon had unknowingly forced open his dormant micropyles, and managed to push back the fierce creature into the sea. It had some repercussions on him, though. The sudden release of aura had broken the bones in both of his arms. As luck would have it, among the people who tagged along had a rudimentary understanding of Nen and had taught Gon the basics on the journey back.

Since then, the boy had studied on his own in order to master Nen. His Aunt Mito had been worried sick about his sorry state when he came home but was dumbfounded when the boy just grinned toothily. To Gon, danger gave him a thrill like nothing else in Whale Island. He loved Whale Island and everybody in it, but there was something, something missing that he can't exactly pinpoint. He had spent countless nights agonizing over that feeling of pointlessness, trying to find that purpose in life he should already know about.

In Whale Island, Gon Freecs already knew what's in store for his future if he stays in the island. He'd enter a formal profession at 15, marry a girl at 20, have children at 22, and work until he's old enough to pass his trade to his children. That's how life had been for everyone else around him. Even Aunt Mito was starting to invite village girls for lunch or dinner every now and then. Actually, Gon didn't find anything wrong with following the status quo. Life goes on. But whether he thinks that's the way his life should truly go, he's not so sure about that. Because Gon Freecs wants to experience more to life than that.

Take his old man, for example. Everybody said that Gon was very much like his father had been at his age. Ging Freecs was bright, talented, hard-working, and widely popular among the populace. He was the golden boy of Whale Island, everyone had high expectations of him, such as being the best of any trade he'd ever pick, marrying the most beautiful girl in the Island and producing his requisite number of wide-eyed children.

But such expectations were never to be fulfilled. One fine day when he was 14, Ging Freecs disappeared from the island. No one knows where he went or if he's even alive. Years passed, and people had almost forgotten their beloved wonder boy, but one fine day, eight years to the day he had disappeared, Ging Freecs reappeared, carrying with him a newborn Gon. Before the villagers could even make heads at what's happening, Gon was left in the care of his Aunt and Grandmother and Ging had left the island again, this time, never to return.

And at 14, Gon finds himself considering his father's life decisions. He already knows there were a lot of things that were unknown to him, that if he ever ventures out of the island, he'll find what he was missing. Out there, in the vast world, was the reason his father never came back to him. Out there, was something more important than Gon had ever been to his own father.

In all his life, Gon had never resented Ging's choice to leave him behind. He was very much aware that people sometimes have to make sacrifices. His Aunt Mito was a shining example of that. She had foregone raising a family of her own in favor of raising Gon. That was because of love, Gon knew, and he also knew that what Ging had done was done out of love, love for something that Gon is just not yet aware of.

So when the postman knocked on their door one lazy late afternoon instead of just slipping the mail in their mailbox, Gon knew something was amiss. The hurried look on the old postman had been his first clue as the man all but shoved a small parcel in his face, telling him it was from his father. Gon turned it over in his hand and indeed, his father's name was written on the upper side, but not where it came from, and it was addressed to Gon. Having never received any letter or parcel in his life, he was a bit surprised it was actually for him and not his aunt Mito.

Without a moment to lose, he had ripped the neat packaging. Inside was a metallic box. He turned it over in his hands but couldn't find any crevice or openings. He rattled it, and the sound from the box indicated that there was certainly something inside. After thanking the old postman who had stayed out of curiosity, Gon closed the door and rushed to his room, locking the door behind him.

At first, he had tried breaking the box. But after repeated hits with a hammer and throwing it against the wall, Gon settled down on his bed, box in hand. There was only one other thing he could think of that could possibly open the box.

Gon loved improving his Nen ability but always put it on the backburner in his everyday life. No one on the island used Nen, either for combat or defense, only a handful of people was even aware it existed. What he knew about it, he learned from books in the public library and by practicing on his own in the forest. All in all, it was a useless ability in the island…he didn't even need it to hunt the most difficult game. Another reason why he was getting bored of the island.

Gon held the box with both hands, concentrating his aura on the box. Not even three seconds passed before he heard a soft click, followed by the box falling apart until what was left in his hands was a tape cassette. After rummaging in his closet for his old radio component, he went back to his bed and played the tape.

"Hello, Gon," a deep, steady voice floated into the room. Gon felt himself break out in sweat, eyes wide in anticipation. Was it really..?

"I know this might come as a shock to you, but I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to you. I am your father, no matter how much I don't deserve to be called as such," there was a chuckle. Gon swallowed, finding his throat dry. It was really Ging. After all this time, he had been alive and had never forgotten Gon.

"I'm sorry I wasn't at your side while you're growing up. I am a very selfish person. Your mother said so, too, before we went our separate ways. I had initially wanted to leave you with her, but she refused to raise you by herself so I came back to Whale Island and left you with Mito. She is the most motherly person I have ever met, I was sure I'm leaving you in capable hands. But, Gon, I don't regret what I had done and the choice I had made back then,"

"When I was your age, I was restless. I wanted to see the world, I want the thrill of the unknown, I want the rush of danger. I'm sure you are also feeling that right now, you're my son. But such curiosity could only bring you so far. It wasn't enough for me and it left me in despair." Gon took in a deep breath, burying his face in his hands. So his old man was just the same as him after all.

"And then, a stranger appeared before me and became my best friend. But in order to stay by his side, I had to leave yours," Gon nodded in understanding, as if his father had been talking to him in person. He never held resentment for his father's actions before and he wouldn't start now that the old man was surprisingly bothering to explain himself, something Gon never expected him to do.

"Gon, that decision had saved me, and I'm convinced it would save you, too, so there's something that I want you to do," Gon's ears perked up, and he stared attentively at the radio.

"I want you to come to where I am and determine for yourself the reason I chose to stay here." Gon stilled, his mind processing his father's words. "There's someone I would like you to meet and hopefully, you'd both gain what you're missing before it's too late. I pray that you'd save him as much as he'd save you,"

So his father wants him to go there and save somebody? Gon wondered, his father's words tumbling in his head, trying to find sense in them.

The recording went on, "I really want to see you but by the time you receive this recording, I'm already gone from this world. I'm sorry, Gon." His father's voice broke but was hidden with laughter again.

Gon froze, silent tears cascading down his cheeks as he mourned a stranger who happened to be his father. He stayed still as the tape played out, wiping his tears at his father's last words, eyes burning with determination.

"I am Ging Freecs, the Head Butler of the House of Zoldyck."